


I'll Have That Drink Now

by ClumsyDreamer



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alphabetical drinks, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bottom Tony Stark, Drinking, Friday stops him while being a sassafrass, FrostIron - Freeform, His robots are his kids, Hurt/Comfort, Loki is a sugar-daddy to a sugar-daddy, M/M, Multi, Parent Tony Stark, Please Drink responsibly unlike Tony, Romance, Sick!Tony Stark, Tony wants to donate Friday to science, Top Loki (Marvel), Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-09-28 01:29:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 33,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20417633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClumsyDreamer/pseuds/ClumsyDreamer
Summary: (A series of connected prompts based on drinks in alphabetical order.)Tony never took himself to be someone to go back on their word; even if it was towards a villain. So when Loki starts showing up at his penthouse to indulge in the drink he was promised years ago; who was he to deny him that?Or turn him away when he kept showing up afterwards.He didn't. And it would end up changing his entire life as he knew it. For better or worse couldn't be said when one was dealing with the god of chaos after all...





	1. A is for Absinthe

Chapter 1: A is for Absinthe

December 31st-January 1st

New Years used to be a huge event for Tony Stark. Celebrities from all over the world would flock to his home in Malibu to attend the wildest and most extravagant party the world had ever seen.

Because if there was one thing Tony Stark knew how to do, it was party.

But that was all in the past now.

Tony hadn’t thrown a New Years party since his showdown with Vanko. After that, people either didn’t want to show up anymore or Tony simply didn’t have it in him to invite them.

After all, what was the point in throwing a celebration when none of the people he cared about most would be there.

Pepper was gone; their relationship a doomed thing from the very start. Last he heard of her, the woman was seeing another gentlemen from Colorado and things appeared to be going well. As much as Tony wanted to be bitter about it, he knew that he was in no position to do so.

Then there was Rhodey.

The braces for his legs were working well for him; the latest model being less clunky and more supportive than the first. While unlike Pepper who he hadn’t heard from anyways, Tony was actively dodging Rhodey’s phone calls and visits. Best friend or not, seeing Rhodey injured and almost paralyzed gave Tony horrible guilt. The man tried to tell him that it wasn’t his fault but Tony would hear none of it. Perhaps he _wasn’t_ the one to shoot Rhodey out of the sky, but he did help create the one who did.

Vision.

The last person Tony couldn’t bear to talk to.

Because every time he saw Vision he saw Jarvis. But Jarvis wasn’t in there anymore. And no matter how much coding and tweaks Tony did, he could never bring him back. There _were_ replicas. So _many_ replicas, but none of them were Jarvis. Friday came in close and heaven knows she tries her best, but in his heart, Tony knew that she would never live up to his closest and oldest friend.

And now here he was. Alone and lonely sitting in his penthouse on New Years Eve wondering what he was going to do with the rest of his life. Of course, he was still making Stark Technology and fought against the occasional villain, but life for Tony Stark was nothing to envy anymore.

So, he would fall back on what he knew and resorted to drinking.

Hidden in a cabinet beneath the bar is one of his most coveted treasures. As much as he hated Howard and his drinking, at least he could say that the man had good taste. There were very few assets of his father that he kept after his death, but one that he did keep was his absinthe drinking set. All of it was handcrafted and made from the most expensive metals and glass. The cubes of sugar were left unopened and the bottle itself was still untouched. It’s glowing, toxic green color was enough to let Tony know it was the good stuff too.

He hadn’t touched the thing since the day he discovered it in his father’s study, but he figured that now was a good time as any to do so.

It would’ve been easier to do this at his bar like a normal person, but Tony decided to take it out on his balcony. It would be cold as all hell, but at least he could watch the fireworks as he wallowed in his own self-pity.

That was just the kind of night he was having.

The billionaire set everything on the ground and sat down, totally un-phased at sitting on the cold, hard rooftop. With a little help from Friday, he had everything set up and ready to go.

For a while he just sat there staring; watching passively as the water slowly dripped down onto the sugar cube and into his drink. It was quiet and peaceful in a way, even if he wishes it was under different circumstances. A chime from his wrist watch let him know that he had at least another hour before the fireworks show began. He kept waiting.

When the last of the cube dripped into his glass, Tony raised it to his lips, only to be stopped by a message from Friday.

“Boss, I think we may have an intruder.” She called from his wristwatch.

“Where?” He asked, groaning when he realized that he would have to get up. So much for his evening plans of drinking and moping.

“I’d hardly call this _intruding_,” A suave voice came from behind him. “Let’s think of it more as a house call.”

“Reindeer Games.” Tony mumbled, turning to look at the demigod standing leisurely behind him.

“Evening Stark.” Loki greeted with a nod.

Tony sighed. A fight with Loki was _not_ something he wanted to get into right now. While the demigod had long since been pardoned for his actions during the Battle of New York, he did still have a tendency to cause mass disturbances here and there. Nothing life threatening of course, but it was still a hassle that he wasn’t looking forward to dealing with at this particular time.

In the hopes to avoid it altogether, he decided to tell the man as such.

“Look Reindeer Games, if you couldn’t tell, I’m in the middle of something right now, so if you can fly back to the North Pole where you belong, that’d be _fantastic_.” Tony said gesturing at his absinthe setup next to where he was sitting.

If Loki was offended by the way Tony was talking to him, he didn’t show it. Instead, a bright green glow shimmered down the sorcerer’s armor to reveal plain, black slacks and a tunic. He approached Tony with his arms raised and what was probably meant to be a charming smile upon his lips.

“As I mentioned before, I did not come here to do battle with you.” Loki offered. “I’ve grown bored and decided to take you up on your offer from so long ago.”

“Offer?” Tony said puzzled. At first, he had absolutely no clue what the other man was talking about, until he remembered his words back when the two of them were in his penthouse downstairs.

_Yeah. It's seen a bit of "mileage" and you got the "glow-stick of destiny". Would you like a drink?_

_If it’s all the same to you, I’ll have that drink now. _

“I had assumed that the offer still stood,” His hands went down to curl behind his back, standing relaxed and poised like the perfect gentleman. “However, if you truly do not wish for my presence, I can always leave and go elsewhere.”

Tony was hesitant. On the one hand, Loki was the god of lies. It would be just his thing to lure him into a false sense of security before stabbing him in the back and leaving him there to bleed out in the cold night. On the _other _hand, there was also nothing to gain here. Tony knew one thing was certain about Loki and that he was a diva. If the man was looking to cause mischief, he wanted there to be an audience and an active participant in his chaos. With him being the only one at the tower currently and clearly not looking for a fight, the demigod had neither at this point. That and he tried to be a man of his word and so he technically _does_ owe the other man a drink.

And who was Tony Stark to deny another person a good drink? On New Year’s Eve of all days?

He glanced down at his watch.

There was still time before the ball was supposed to drop and the sky would be alit with fireworks. Tony then went back and forth to gazing at the patiently waiting god and his father’s special liquor set. Then with a sigh, he made up his mind and gestured for the green-eyed man to come closer.

“_Fine_. Drinking alone on New Year’s isn’t my style anyways,” He poured two glasses for the both of them. “And just so you know, I plan on getting absolutely hammered, so if you have any hang ups about that, feel free to leave at any time.”

Loki sank gracefully to the ground, legs outstretched and crossed as he took the offered glass with a quiet thank you.

“I have been the brother of Thor for the last several centuries. If you truly think that your inebriation will be enough to phase me, you underestimate my patience.” He smiled over his glass.

Tony snorted. “Oh yeah, I’ve seen Point Break drunk before. I know to stay away from him when he gets like that. Too _touchy_ and my squishy mortal organs can only take so much.” He lifted his glass towards the other man. “A toast!” He yelled.

“And what pray tell will we be toasting to?” Loki said with a raised brow.

Tony shrugged. “To whatever the hell we want! To my shitty father and his not so shitty liquor set!”

Loki raised his glass to tinkle gently against Tony’s. “To you surviving me throwing you out of your tower so we may share your father’s shitty liquor.”

Tony gave a gut bursting laugh at Loki’s toast and proceeded to take a swig of his drink. The moment the violently green drink slid down his throat and reached his stomach, Tony knew he was going to be in for it. Absinthe wasn’t something that he had ever fooled around with. He was more of a scotch and whiskey man personally. With that being said however, Tony found that he quite enjoyed it. He looked over at his companion for the evening.

The demigod sipped at his drink with quiet concentration. He doubted that Asgard had it in their realm so it was more than likely the other man’s first time encountering it. Tony felt an air of pride in knowing that he was probably the first to introduce a genuine alien to fancy, expensive, Earth liquor. He chuckled and took another mouthful of his toxic green beverage.

They stayed like that for nearly twenty minutes. When their cups ran dry, Tony made them new ones and the two continued to sit in a surprisingly comfortable silence together.

Until the alcohol’s effect finally caught up with Tony and he began talking to the other man about practically _everything_.

Needless to say, when Friday went to playback their conversation the next day, Tony was a red ball of embarrassment from the things the two talked about.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa my dear Bovidae,” The man slurred after his sixth drink. “What do you mean you haven’t had New York style pizza yet? How can you terrorize a city without even tasting what it has to offer?” He said scandalized at what he was hearing.

“I assure you Stark, this city’s cuisine has nothing to do with why I return here time and time again.” Loki said, looking over at the man without even a hint of a slur. Tony knew that there was no way that the man was going to get drunk off of anything from Earth. He appreciated that the man was humoring him regardless.

“Well clearly not. But you will once you try it!” Tony grinned.

“Is that an invitation to visit again Stark? I mean, how else am I supposed to know where to find this supposed culinary masterpiece.” Loki purred. He swirled his drink around as he looked intensely into the other man’s eyes.

Tony met his gaze head on. “I’d say you’ve earned another evening with me. I’ll even pay like a proper gentleman.”

“_Truly_ my heart is a flutter from your chivalry.” Loki sassed.

“Chivalry is in fact, not dead Reindeer Games. If we’re being honest, I’d like to think I alone have had a big role in keeping it alive.” Tony laughed. Loki clinked his glass against Tony’s again.

“Such humbleness doesn’t suit you Stark.” He said.

The two of them both chuckled at that. The remaining time before the ball dropped was spent with them bantering back and forth like that. Neither one of them held any reservation on what they said to one another. Tony because of his increasing drunkenness and Loki because of his usual brazen attitude. Though neither of them would admit it out loud, it was just what they both needed. Tony couldn’t speak for the other man, but for himself, conversation with Loki was relaxing. He didn’t’ judge Tony when he spoke his mind. Didn’t zone out when he started about his inventions or his passion for learning. But the biggest thing in his opinion was that he didn’t bring up anything to set off Tony’s anxieties. Even when they spoke about the invasion, both of them were able to do it with humor and no hard feelings. Something he was never able to do with the team or even Pepper. Talking with the man kept his mind away from the bad in his life. The things that plagued him day and night.

Pepper. The Avengers. Jarvis. His nightmares. Society.

In that hour, all of it was forgotten. Instead, Tony drank and badgered the lanky man about some of his adventures over his many centuries alive. He had heard about Thor’s adventures time and time again, but Tony found Loki’s to be far more entertaining. Battle stories were great and all, but hearing about Loki’s adventures involving Thor in a dress was absolutely priceless.

Their chatting was so distracting in fact that Tony didn’t even notice that midnight was upon them until the first firework lit the sky with arrays of reds, yellows, and blues.

That brought the two out of their conversation to look at the explosive display in front of them.

“Well, looks like we missed the ball drop. Oh well,” He turned to Loki and raised his final glass of absinthe. “Happy New Years Reindeer Games.” He said.

“Happy New Years Stark.” The man returned. He turned back to the fireworks. “I must say, this is my first time engaging in one of your Midgardian celebrations.”

“And? How is it? You’re making a guy nervous now. Had I known this was your first holiday we could’ve went for a night on the town. Given you the full Monty if you will.” Tony grumbled drunkenly, put off that he hadn’t made the night more exciting for the both of them.

To his confusion, the man shook his head.

“No need. The night was much more pleasant than I was anticipating. Unlike Thor, I prefer smaller, more intimate settings for celebrations. Feasts at the palace have always been my least favorite times if I was being sincere.” Loki explained.

“I figured. You and Thor are completely different when it comes to most things.” Tony slurred, nearly falling asleep from a combination of the alcohol and the cold.

“I am aware,” Tony watched as a look of anger flashed over the demigod’s face. “I have always been different from the rest of Asgard. Thor included.”

Tony knew that look. He did it often as a child every time his father would talk about Captain America. He knew that feeling. A horrible, throat clogging feeling of inadequacy for not living up to people’s standards. A feeling that he still carried with him today. Talking with Loki for so little time wasn’t enough to call them best friends or anything, but it was enough that Tony didn’t want the other man to end the night on such a negative note.

Which is why he allowed his inebriated mind take over for a minute to try and cheer the man up.

“You’re right. You’re different as all hell from Thor. Though you make it sound like a bad thing.” Tony told him.

That caught Loki’s attention.

“Care to elaborate?” He deadpanned.

Tony racked his mind for some way to explain what he was trying to say. Looking down and seeing his half empty glass he tried to explain himself.

“Well what’s the fun in being like everyone else? We’ll use drinks as an example. Thor is something off the top shelf. The good shit that everyone wants, but you can still find at any bar.”

“And myself? I promise you Stark, if you say that I am somehow equivalent to that swill you Midgardians enjoy so much, I may just throw you from this balcony yet.” Loki warned with narrow eyes. 

Tony laughed. “No Reindeer Games, you’re definitely not beer,” He showed the man his glass. “_This _is more like you.”

Loki’s eyes showed that he was wondering just where Tony was going with this so Tony took that as his cue to continue.

“Did you know that absinthe is actually banned in most countries, including here?” Loki shook his head. “Well it is. There’s thujone in it. If you didn’t know, it’s a psychoactive drug. Not exactly something that people should be messing around with. I’ve never tried it myself, but I’ve heard people do some crazy shit after they had too much of it.”

“You seem pretty well put together if that is to be believed.” The black clad man noted.

Tony laughed. “Yeah, well not many people have my tolerance. And I’ve done worse drugs than _this_. The fact that I’ve been watching you phase in and out of existence for the past fifteen minutes or so is also irrelevant.”

That earned him a chuckle and a smile, two things he easily returned. “What I’m trying to say is; top shelf is great and all, but Absinthe is far more interesting. It isn’t for the common folks and neither are you. If someone knew I had this, I’d probably get into trouble.” He gestured at the other man. “Just like I could get in trouble for having you here right now. But that’s the fun part, isn’t it? In my opinion, there’s nothing more enticing than keeping something around that you know you shouldn’t have. It makes it more unique.” 

At first, Loki said nothing. Tony was worried that his word vomit may have short circuited the other man, but then a sound filled the air that had Tony snapping his head to the left with wide eyes.

Loki, the usually well put together god of mischief was _laughing._ Not the maniacal cackles the man did when they fought or the small chuckles they had been sharing all night, but loud, full belly laughter that made the other’s laugh lines seem even more pronounced than they already were. In all the years he had known the demigod, not once had Tony ever seen the man laugh like this. Quite frankly, it was contagious as all hell, and soon, Tony joined in as well.

There they were. Two past enemies, sitting together on a rooftop balcony in wintertime on New Year’s Day; drinks in hand and laughing like a couple of loons. Had someone told Tony that this would be how he was going to be spending his night, he would have called them insane.

Yet here he was.

And he couldn’t be happier about it.

Eventually the laughter died down. Loki reclined back to lean on his elbows. Tony laid back on the cold ground and just stared up at the starlit sky above. He was beginning to get sleepy.

The two basked in the aftermath of their lunacy and didn’t say anything to one another until a beep came from Tony’s wristwatch.

“Boss,” Friday called. “My sensors are reading that your body temperature is dropping too much right now. I do believe it’s time to go inside.”

“Don’t wanna Fri. I’m sleepy and its nice out here.” He told her, his eyes starting to close as his body grew even more relaxed. Even with his internal temperature dropping, Tony didn’t feel the cold. The alcohol in his system worked to keep him warm and dizzy.

He hadn’t felt this comfortable in a very long time.

“Boss, I insist that you come back inside. You shouldn’t go to sleep right now.” Friday tried again, a tint of worry seeping into her voice.

“Your machine is right Stark,” He heard Loki’s voice say. Tony wondered if he was imagining the other man’s breath so close to his ear or if it was just the alcohol making him imagine things. “Mortals aren’t built to sleep in this type of weather.”

“Don’t wanna move.” Tony murmured as his eyes closed completely.

He didn’t hear a response after that. The billionaire just assumed that the other man was going to leave him be and allow him to get some shut eye. He was really tired. Besides, he wasn’t going to be out there _too_ long.

Just until the world stopped swaying around him.

Why was he swaying?

He decided to chalk it up to his drunkenness.

It still didn’t make him move anyways. Besides, now he didn’t have to. The temperature was already warming up. In fact, he was the warmest he had been that entire night. He suddenly wished that he hadn’t finished his father’s absinthe. Anything that could make the cold concrete of his balcony feel like a soft, warm mattress was something that he should’ve saved for a later time. Tony decided that he would somehow order some more when he sobered up in the morning.

For _now_, he was going to rest his eyes for a little while. He wanted to open them long enough to let the other man know what he was about to do, but they were far too heavy. Loki was a big boy. He could come and go whenever he pleased. No doubt, he would be gone by morning, so there was nothing he really needed to worry about.

And he was right.

Loki _was _gone by morning, but that wasn’t the biggest surprise.

No, what took Tony Stark by surprise was the fact that he didn’t wake up cold, wet and with a nasty crook in his neck.

Instead, Tony woke in his own bed; his father’s absinthe set on his side table next to a glass of water and two white pills. He leaned over to grab the pills when he noticed that they were sitting on top of a green and gold card.

Tony knew it could only have been from one person and so he picked it up and read what the demigod had written.

_While a few years is inconsequential for myself, I’d rather not wait again like I did for my drink. Next we meet, we shall try your New York cuisine. Do not disappoint me Stark. Or chivalry will truly be dead. -Loki_

It took Tony a good two minutes before he stopped laughing.

It took him another five to find the perfect pizza joint for his next meeting with the god of mischief.

He never was someone who liked to disappoint after all.

His decision to keep meeting up with the green-eyed demigod would unknowingly change the rest of his life for a very long time to come…


	2. B is for Bloody Maria

Chapter 2 – B is for Bloody Maria

Late January

As it would turn out, Tony didn’t see Loki for the rest of that month. He knew the other man often flitted about between worlds so it didn’t really come as a surprise to him.

Though with the night he was having, he kinda wished that the other man was there to talk to.

The nightmares had returned once more.

These far worse than the others.

Ever since his showdown with Steve and Bucky during that whole debacle with the accords, Tony had been dreaming about his parent’s murders. It was bad before when he thought they had simply died in a car accident. Knowing what had truly happened proved be even more nightmarish than that.

It was no secret that Tony never felt truly close to Howard. Between the drinking and neglect and just the general disinterest in Tony’s life, there wasn’t much for him to latch onto for him to really mourn the man. But he stilled mourned. He wasn’t heartless.

His mother on the other hand?

_That’s _what hit Tony the hardest.

Maria was one the closest people in his life aside from Jarvis growing up. The woman was busy more days than not, but the times that she was around, she tried her hardest to spend time with him. His mother was a smart woman, but she was nowhere invested in technology and science like Tony and Howard. With that said however, there had never been a time where his mother didn’t encourage him to keep pursing his passion. When Tony created something, more times than not, he showed it to his mother long before he showed it to Howard.

Maria didn’t need to understand how it worked, what it was supposed to be used for, or how could it work to benefit the Stark family name. That stuff didn’t matter.

All she needed was the knowledge that Tony had made it and he had fun doing so. Every time he brought her something, he remembered what she would say each and every time.

_This is wonderful my little Antonio! I’m so proud to have such a creative son. Now, show me how it works and then we can go show it to your father together… _

Of course, more times than not, Howard couldn’t be bothered to give whatever it was a second look, but it didn’t seem to phase Maria in the least. She would immediately console Tony afterwards and the two of them would then go off and do something together.

Just the two of them.

Those times were some of the happiest moments Tony could remember having growing up. Having that kind of love, that kind of support, was something that Tony craved more than _anything_.

And he would give anything to have that back.

But that was impossible and he had to live with that for the rest of his life.

All he had of his mother now was her memories. Memories that were more valuable to him than any Ironman suit, fancy car, or company.

Memories that he needed now more than ever after the nightmare he’d just awoken from.

Tony left his bed. It was almost 3 in the morning but that didn’t surprise him in the least. This was roughly around the time he awoke from nightmares anyways.

Lights came up to fifty percent as Friday lit his way to the bar at the other end of the penthouse. She didn’t question him or his actions, something that he was really thankful for. He rummaged around and began fixing himself a drink with sluggish movements and heavy bags under his eyes.

A chime came from Friday alerting him of an intruder in his tower.

“Boss.” She called to him.

“I heard it,” He continued gathering ingredients without turning around. “I’m assuming your lack of blaring obnoxious alarms means this is another house call.”

“You would be correct in that assumption, Stark.” He heard from a stool to his left.

Tony was too haggard to even notice that Loki had magicked himself in the stool next to where he was standing.

“Morning Reindeer Games. Didn’t expect you to make an appearance today honestly,” He paused to gesture at his ragged appearance. “If you couldn’t tell, I’m not exactly dressed to impress.”

Loki took in his appearance and proceeded to lean against the countertop on one of his elbows. “Should you not feel up to it, I can always return at another time.”

Tony shook his head.

“Don’t bother. I’m already awake and there’s plenty of booze to go around.” He said, pulling another glass off the shelf for his guest.

“If that is what you wish.” Loki said as he watched the man continue mixing whatever Midgardian concoction he planned for the evening.

And what a sight it was.

Honestly, the demigod was not quite sure what was going on. It looked like the man had gone off the deep end with what he was mixing together in his silver shaker. Stark was adding spices and liquids that burned his nose and almost caused him to sneeze. Some he knew from his time learning to cook at the palace. Others he had never seen or smelled before. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but the look on Starks face told him to save them for another time.

Tony finished his mixing and poured the thick red liquid into the two glasses before them.

“One last thing.” Loki heard him mutter before going over to a small refrigerator beneath the bar. The man returned with two stalks of celery and stuck one into each of their drinks. “There. Now its finished. Drink up, buttercup.” He said as he took a seat on the stool to his left.

Loki grabbed his glass and began observing it from practically every angle. Seeing his serious concentration sent Tony into a fit of laughter.

“I’ve seen that look before! I’m guessing this isn’t something you have up in Wonderland?” He asked, taking a small gulp of his drink.

“Asgardians prefer to keep things _simple_. Mead, wine, and ale are essentially the extent of their drinking preferences.” Loki informed him.

“Well then, you’re in for a treat with this one. Cheers Reindeer Games.” He offered his glass.

“Cheers, Stark.” The demigod returned.

Their glasses clinked together and both of them took a drink. Tony handled it well, only coughing slightly as the drink burned its way down his throat.

Loki on the other hand did _not. _

Instantly, the dark-haired man began hacking as his eyes watered and his taste buds were assaulted by an array of spices and flavors.

“Stark!” Loki yelled between coughs. “What in the nine realms is this atrocity!?”

Tony howled once more, but took another swallow none the less. “A drink I prefer on nights like these.”

“I cannot fathom how anyone can enjoy this.” He said as he practically slammed his glass back on the bar counter.

Tony shrugged.

“Neither can I really. But I needed this tonight. It helps me when-” Tony stopped. He shook his head as his good mood suddenly began to plummet. Loki also noticed the change in the brown eyed man’s demeanor.

Quietly, he watched Tony stare at his glass. Loki could tell that the man was not really seeing anything and was slowing drifting back into his mind. He had noticed when he arrived that the billionaire had not slept well. More than likely he was plagued by nightmares. Nightmares of _what_, he did not know.

Though for some strange reason, he wanted to find out.

“This drink,” He began. “What is its name?”

He watched as the man visibly flinched and then turned to look away from him. Stark then murmured something that was far to quiet for even him to hear.

“My hearing is superb Stark, but even I didn’t catch that.” He told the man.

“Bloody Maria.” He said. “It’s called a Bloody Maria.”

“The name escapes me, but I feel as though there is a significance to it.” He said offhandedly, trying to play it off as though he wasn’t digging for more substantial answers.

Tony saw right through him, but as he got further and further into his drink, he found himself caring less and less about spilling his life story out to the demigod.

“Maria was my mother’s name. She was everything to me growing up.” A dark look slid over his features. “Until she was murdered.”

“My condolences.” Loki said politely.

“It was a long time ago.”

To that, Loki merely shook his head. “Time means nothing to grief. Be it a year or a century, loss is not something that is easily forgotten. If ever.”

“You speaking from experience, Reindeer Games?” Tony asked, finally turning to lock eyes with the man.

“Despite my appearance, I have been around for a very long time. Loss is no stranger to me. Whether by the hands of others or my own.” He said quietly.

Tony had a feeling that he knew exactly who Loki was referring to.

He heard about the death of Queen Frigga when Thor came back to Earth before Ultron. He had never seen a man so broken up. Losing his mother and supposedly his brother at the same time hit the big guy harder than anyone expected. It took weeks to get him out of his funk and even then, the entire team could tell that he just wasn’t the same as he was before. Tony remembered when Thor spoke of Loki in regards to their mother. It was like he was describing a complete stranger and not the man sitting next to him now at his bar. He was aware that Loki held no love for his father- and to some extent Thor himself.

Queen Frigga was another story.

According to Thor, the woman taught Loki everything he knew about magic. Magic was something Tony had a feeling wasn’t the most well-liked practice in Asgard. Yet it was something that Loki seemed to treasure and use greatly. No doubt he got a lot of shit from others about his use of magic and daggers instead of fists and swords. It wasn’t hard to think how many people were against Loki and his fighting style.

He could only imagine how the guy’s father dealt with that.

Odin- just on what he had heard from the two brothers alone- seemed a lot like Howard. On that alone, Tony already hated the guy. Hearing from Thor about how Loki found out about being adopted was just the icing on the cake.

Learning about all that and then hearing how hard their mother fought to keep Loki out of prison and get him help, it was no wonder Loki was so broken up about her death.

For the demigod, Queen Frigga was his Maria.

That was something that Tony could relate to more than he wanted to admit.

A sense of commodore filled him and before he knew what was happening, his glass moved to hover next to the other gentleman in the room. Loki locked eyes in confusion.

“To my mother, Maria Stark.” He murmured quietly.

At first Loki was hesitant. Admittedly, Tony would’ve been too. This didn’t seem like something he would do, but for some reason he wanted to do it anyways. Loki could be weirded out if he wanted to. This was his tower. He could get weird whenever he felt like it.

Surprisingly, he wasn’t suddenly bombarded by an array of strange looks and questioning. Loki simply raised his own red tinted vessel and tapped it against his own.

“To my mother, Queen Frigga.” He said just as softly.

They both knocked back their drinks.

Regret filled them both as the two men began coughing up their lungs as the spices and alcohol burned their throats.

“Not our brightest idea in hindsight Stark.” Loki groaned.

“Gotta live in the moment Reindeer Games.” The other man gasped between coughs and laughter.

The mood became much lighter after that. The duo began a light-hearted conversation that lasted for what seemed like hours. Tony kept the drinks coming though he was the only one who kept drinking. As it would turn out, the taste of tomatoes was not something Loki was fond of. That made Tony chuckle. It wasn’t something he ever thought he would come to learn about one of his past enemies.

He was enjoying this greatly.

The fact that Tony and his drinking buddy could just be themselves without all the disapproving looks, guilt, and uncomfortable questioning. He needed moments like these. Times where he could just be Tony Stark and not what everyone else expected him to be. Which ultimately led him to thinking about what Loki wanted him to be. This whole meeting thing they started didn’t _seem_ like a ploy, and the man’s company was very much wanted.

Did that make them friends? Could Tony really call the demigod a friend?

He thought about Steve and the rest of his team. The ones he had once called family. The ones who up and left him when he needed them the most. Who he felt had betrayed his trust and friendship. On that alone, one would think that he shouldn’t even consider being all buddy-buddy with the god of lies. But as the drinks kept draining and the conversation kept building, he found the need to be cautious fly out of the window. Loki hadn’t attacked him or seemed to have plans to do so either. He just seemed like a guy looking for a bit of company and a stiff drink. Tony could appreciate that. These moments were what he was living for right now. If it could make him forget about his nightmares and all his problems and fears for a little while?

‘Then why the hell not?’ He thought to himself.

Just between them and in his own mind, he and Loki were friends. Or at the least drinking buddies.

Of course, the raven haired man would have no clue about Tony’s decision just yet. For now, he just wanted to continue going back and forth about the mechanics and logistics of math in relation to magic and sorcery. The man would be none the wiser about the slowly blooming relationship between them if Tony had anything to say about it.

Luckily, he would have no trouble trying to hide it from the other man.

Mostly because- unbeknownst to him- Loki’s thoughts were preoccupied on the exact same thing.

Now it was just a matter of which one of them was going to act on it first…


	3. C is for Crown Royal

Chapter 3 – C is for Crown Royal

Early February

It’s a week into February the next time he and Loki meet again. This time, it was not him who needed the drink more, but the demigod.

Tony was sitting on his bed with a Starkpad as he and Friday made plans for a new Ironman suit design. They had just got around to discussing colors when he heard the tell-tale alarm that alerted him to an intruder. He looked up just in time to see Loki appearing in a shower of green and yellow sparks. He opened his mouth to greet the man as usual, but before he could even speak, Loki began on a tirade.

“Idiots! Morons! Absolute buffoons, the whole lot of them! _Must_ they possess idiocy with this much reckless abandon!?” The demigod yelled as he began burning a hole in Tony’s carpet.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Tony said, trying to calm the enraged man. “Who’s pissed in your cheerios, Reindeer Games?”

Loki waltzed up to the side of his bed. “Speak without riddles Stark! I am not in the gaming mood.”

“Oh right. Keep forgetting you and Point Break are from out of town. I was just asking who’s got you on a warpath?”

“Asgard.”

“All of it?” Tony asked.

“All of it!” He was pacing even faster now. “The fools of the council. That smiling idiot Thor and his insufferable companions. That fool of a king! If war is what they desired, then my banishment so long ago was undoubtedly unnecessary.”

Tony dropped the Starkpad on his covers and got up from is reclining position. Crossing his legs, the billionaire placed his head in the palms of his hands. “Oooh, juicy space drama. Don’t leave me hanging on the edge of my seat. Spill.” He told the demigod, not even caring that he looked like a gossiping schoolgirl.

“Asgard is home to some of the most _daft_ individuals I’ve ever had the displeasure of associating with. No sense of decorum.” He stopped pacing. “Alfheim, home to the light elves has been in a recent dispute with the dwarves of Nidavellir. Accusations of an assassination were flying about and both parties came to Odin for settlement. The elves accuse the dwarves of a murder plot and the dwarves call them deceivers.”

“Did you ever figure out who was fibbing?” Tony asked, fully immersed in the other man’s ranting.

“Of course not! Neither side had proof! Now the dwarves are slighted and demand reimbursement for their embarrassment.” Tony thought he heard the man mutter ‘greedy, miserable, gremlins’ under his breath. “Naturally the elves refused and so they both turned to the All-Father for judgement.”

“I’m sure he decided to tell them to both go home and play nice?”

“He asked Thor to make the decision.”

“Oh,” Tony winced. “I’m sure that went well. Thor isn’t like he was in the past though. He couldn’t have messed it up. The solution was simple seeing as there was no proof.”

“Simple for a child maybe, but apparently not the future king of an entire realm!” Loki hissed. It seemed that he was getting worked up once more as he had begun pacing once more. “Instead of explaining that this was a case of baseless accusations, he said that it was the dwarves right to ask for recompense for their slight!”

Tony facepalmed. “He didn’t.”

“He did! The elves are a very prideful race. Even more so than the dwarves. It’s no secret that they hold no love for one another. Instead of diffusing the situation, Thor inadvertently chose a side.” The pacing stopped again. “Of course the council and the all-father agreed to his decision. It sent the elves into a rage as you can imagine. One moment calm-and the next-complete chaos. Chaos that for once was not _my_ doing.”

Tony laughed as he leaned back into his pillows. “I bet you enjoyed that.” He said knowingly.

“_Immensely_,” Loki said unapologetically. “Until the elves refused to comply and soon it was _Thor_ who was insulted. Next thing I know, Thor and his cohorts are up in arms against the elves as the dwarven ambassadors looked on in amusement. Had the All-Father decided not to step in then and there, I’ve no doubt Asgard and Alfhiem would be in the midst of a war.”

“Seems like that could have all been handle easier.” Tony remarked.

“Yet it wasn’t. All because Thor is too foolish to sit and learn basic diplomatic strategies. He would rather solve problems through fists and thunder than words and compromise.” Loki hissed. It was clear that he was beyond displeased with the actions of his family.

“Well have you told the all-daddy that he needs to send his favorite son to boarding school?” Tony asked.

“If you are asking if I have spoken to Odin about Thor’s inadequacies, then the answer is no.” There was a certain bitterness to his expression now. “I may be pardoned on Asgard, but my word in their eyes is worth nothing. Though in retrospect, that is nothing new.”

Something about that didn’t sit well with Tony. “Why not? Its clear that you at least know what you’re doing. If anything, shouldn’t you be the one in Thor’s place?”

He wasn’t expecting Loki’s reaction to that.

“As if they would ever let _me _sit on the throne,” The man waltzed over to Tony’s bed closest to where he was sitting. “Odin had no plans to ever make _me _king. My destiny was to – what did he say again- _your birthright was to die as a child. Cast out on a frozen rock. _He would rather see Thor on the throne as a violent oaf of a king than me. I will forever be the king of nothing.”

Honestly, the demigod’s words left Tony speechless. He knew Howard was a real piece of work, but apparently, he was nothing compared to Odin. He felt like he was seeing Loki for the very first time at that moment. He couldn’t imagine hearing that from Howard and not being a bit bitter. It also didn’t help that Loki appeared to actually have an interest in taking the job seriously. That was like if Howard had wanted to have someone competent run Stark Industries and he chose _Justin Hammer_ of all people over Tony.

He’d be _pissed_.

And rightfully so.

Staring at the silently fuming man, Tony unfurled himself from his comfortable position and grabbed the man by the arm.

“Alright, no more of that, Reindeer Games. I think both of us could use a drink.” He said dragging the man to his usual place at the bar.

He allowed the taller individual to take seat as he moved behind the bar and began rummaging around. There was a specific drink he had in mind for the man that he thought he’d enjoy.

“Ah, there it is.” Tony exclaimed happily as he reached up to grab a squat bottle on one of the higher shelves. He pulled it down and found two glasses beneath the counter. Ice was placed inside both before he poured the darkly colored liquor over them. He then passed one to the other man. “Cheers.” He said, tilting his glass to tap against Loki who returned it in kind. 

Tony waited eagerly as the other man took a sip of his drink. Watching Loki’s eyes widen in pleasant surprise was a pleasure in and of itself.

“I am quite taken with this one Stark.” He said quietly, not even hesitating to indulge in it more.

“I figured as much. I pegged you as someone who enjoys the good stuff.” The inventor said leaning on the bar across from the demigod.

“And what exactly is the good stuff may I ask?” Tony handed him the bottle. He read the label. “Crown Royal? Are you trying to imply something Stark? Or did you miss our entire conversation on how I have no hold to any crown?”

Tony laughed. “Not making fun. Besides, do you think a king would be drinking this stuff? If you handed this to a king he’d probably try to have you executed or something. No this is a drink for guys like us.”

“Guys like us? Excuse me if I don’t follow.”

“Yeah, guys like us. Raised to achieve greatness only to get the shaft. Kings with no crowns. Or at least the ones we wanted.” He swirled the ice in his glass. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be kings in our own ways. What’s a crown but a really shiny headpiece? Kings can have their crowns. I got Ironman. You got your magic. When you think about it, we are already kings. But our crowns are much shinier.”

The laugh that followed that statement made something in Tony’s chest grow warm.

“Really Stark, you’re thinking never ceases to amuse me!” Loki said, his mood seeming to be noticeably lighter.

“Tony.” The inventor interjected.

“Pardon?”

“You’ve been in my house three times now. And I’m sharing drinks with you at my bar. No need to use last names.” He said scratching the back of his head. He didn’t know why, but for some reason he really didn’t want the man to keep referring to him by his last name.

“Only if you refer to me by my own name, then I see no problem with your request.”

Tony shook his head. “No can do Lokes. If you couldn’t tell, nicknames is kinda my thing.”

Loki smirked.

“If that’s so, then you’ll excuse me for calling people by their proper name, Anthony.”

“Now that’s just playing dirty. No one calls me by that name.” Tony groaned. He should’ve known better than to mess with the god of mischief.

“All the more reason to use it. It is a good name. You could go so far as to say its _worthy of praise_.” The demigod said knowingly.

“This is the part where I kick you out of my tower.” Tony murmured in embarrassment. He had no doubt that his cheeks were on fire from the other man knowing the origin of his birthname.

Loki laughed again as he finished his drink. Unlike last time, the god didn’t stay nearly as long, nor did he hesitate to ask for one more round. Tony knew that Loki no doubt was going to have return to the palace and the mess his brother had made and instead of pouring him another glass, he passed the entire bottle over to him.

“Trust me, I think you need this much more than I do.” Was all he told the god who didn’t hesitate to accept the gift.

“It is times like these that I wish my anatomy allowed for your Midgardian drinks to affect me as they do you.” Loki said as he rose from his seat.

“Now wouldn’t that be a sight to behold. The ever-proper Loki letting his hair down in my penthouse.” Tony grinned. Loki turned to him slightly from where he was standing at the center of the penthouse. 

“A sight you may get to witness one day Anthony.” Green and yellow magic began to engulf the man. “Though I do so love to make people wait on me.”

“See! Who needs a crown when you’re already acting like a spoiled prince?” Tony called.

He didn’t hear an answer as the man returned to his palace in the sky, but he did hear the other man’s laughter as he left.

Tony was left to his own devices now, his spirits a bit higher after the demigod’s impromptu visit. He brought his glass back to his bedside where he resumed his position from earlier and started back on finishing his and Friday’s latest designs. For the most part, he kept his concentration, but there was something tingling at the forefront of his mind.

Like whether or not the other man had been flirting with Tony as he left or it was just his imagination.

He wasn’t quite sure which one he wanted to end up being true…


	4. D is for Double Chocolate

Chapter 4 – D is for Double Chocolate

Mid-February

Tony knew that this day was coming but it still didn’t make things any easier.

Valentine’s Day.

It would be the first one he would be spending without Pepper and the first one that he would be spending alone. There was no doubt that the rest of the world was preparing to see his name plastered all over the news today. It was no secret in the past that Tony had been a playboy. His breakup with Pepper was also open knowledge seeing as she was seen hanging off the arm of another man. This would be a prime time for the world’s richest bachelor to be out on the prowl looking for his latest celebrity hookup.

Shame that Tony had no plans to do anything of the such.

After Pepper he simply didn’t have the heart. The thrill of one-night stands and partying had since worn out their novelty. He was a changed man.

Though not necessarily for the better. 

That was beside the point.

The reality of the matter was that Tony Stark had no plans of hooking up with anyone today. The tabloids would undoubtedly come up with a slew of outrageous scenarios and theories as to what he was up to, but Tony was content in knowing that it would all be baseless rumors. He was done worrying about what the world thought of him. They would always see him as the self-destructive playboy no matter what he did.

Therefore, he was going to spend the day proving them wrong.

When Tony finally rolled out of bed that morning, he went to take a shower and proceeded to go over his plans for the day with Friday. He was all prepared to just stay in all day and not deal with the outside world, but it seemed like life had it out for him today. A message came in from his secretary downstairs. A fanatic fan had tried to break into the tower, no doubt trying to see Tony. The individual never left the lobby thanks to Happy, but apparently, they weren’t really taking no for an answer. Long story short, the woman was sitting in a jail cell downstairs and Happy was sitting in the hospital with a stab wound. Nothing life threatening of course, but Tony couldn’t in good conscious not visit the man who had always done his best to protect Tony.

Thus, reluctantly, he left his penthouse.

Tearing down the street in his vibrant red Audi, Tony did his best not to look at the various red and pink decorated stores around him. He pretended that the disgustingly strong aroma of chocolate and perfume was all in his head. He ignored the blurs of kissing couples and just kept his eyes on the road. Maybe he was being a little bitter about the holiday of love, but that was neither here nor there. It was just one day. By tomorrow, most of these people will be back to hating one another and treating each other like usual. Valentine’s days was all about sales and showing off anyways.

The hospital was rather quiet when he finally pulled up outside. Flowers in hand, he found room 384 and entered to greet his closest friend and bodyguard.

Naturally he acted like the smooth talking, confident individual that everyone knew and loved, but in reality, Tony was a mess inside.

Happy was one of the few people that still stuck around for him. Even though he _did_ technically pay the man to be in his presence, Tony knew that Happy stayed around out of more than just a fat check. Whether fending off crazed fans in his tower or sacrificing himself during the situation with the Mandarin; Happy always had Tony’s back. Which is why Tony always tried to ensure that he had his. The medical bill was already taken care of. Tony made sure that Friday had him situated in the nicest room with the biggest window and his favorite tv station available 24/7. Happy deserved only the best even if he himself didn’t think he did. Tony recalled how the man reacted when he realized all the effort Tony put into keeping him comfortable.

“Boss, you know I don’t need all of this right?” He said. “I don’t need a fancy room. I don’t plan to be here that long. As head of security, I kind of need to be up on my feet again as soon as possible.”

Tony shook his head. “Uh, yeah, no.” He placed his flowers in a vase at the man’s bedside and then gave him a disapproving look. “We’re gonna have to go with a hard pass on that one, Happy Meal. You just got stabbed. You’re in time out for the rest of this week.”

“Tis but a scratch.” Happy smiled.

It took all of Tony’s willpower to not laugh. At least the other man kept his humor.

“Are you quipping at me? Don’t quip at me. It’s not winning you any time off your sentence. You’re staying here even if I have to tie you to this bed.” Tony walked over and took a seat on the windowsill.

“Not really my cup of tea sir.” Happy laughed, groaning slightly as his stab wound was jostled from doing so.

“Surprising coming from the man calling me sir right now. We’re off the clock Happy. And even if we were on it, you know to just call me Tony.” He replied without missing a beat.

Happy gave him a smile that made him look the other way in embarrassment.

“Alright then Tony.” Happy said softly. Leaning over, he took the hand not connected to his IV drip and pressed the call button for a nurse. “Well might as well use the room while we can. I know you haven’t’ eaten today. Don’t give me that look. Hospital food isn’t as bad as you think.”

It was.

The irony of the situation was that in the hundreds of times that Tony had been in a hospital, never once had he ever eaten the hospital food. He was a billionaire with a strong passion for food. Hospital food was next to prison food in his opinion and there was no way that he or his family would ever be caught dead eating either. Therefore, whenever he was laid up in a hospital bed, either Jarvis, one of the Avengers, or Happy brought him his food. That was in the past however. Now, all the Avengers were gone, both of his Jarvis’s were dead, and Happy was the one taking his place in a hospital bed. He could’ve easily left and brought something back but Happy seemed content with his meal and Tony didn’t really feel like leaving his side. So, he stayed and ate beside Happy as they turned on a cheesy rom com and chatted with one another. It was a pleasant way to spend the day, even if he wished the circumstances were different.

They stayed like that for hours. Happy was exactly what Tony needed. He was a much-welcomed distraction. It was well past visiting hours when he was ready to head back to the penthouse; the sun having long since dipped below the horizon. Happy’s head was bobbing up and down with his attempts to stay awake for Tony. He had no doubt that the other man had picked up on his foul mood somehow and was doing his best to keep Tony’s spirits up. Ultimately, his thoughtfulness despite his current predicament was what made Tony leave so the injured man could get some rest.

It took another ten minutes _still_ to finally convince the bodyguard to take the week off and in the end, only the threat of mandatory vacation time was enough to keep Happy from returning to work.

With that, Tony said his goodbyes and hit the road once more. He kept the windows down and the music loud as he returned back to his too quiet abode. The sulking man didn’t think he would be bothered about returning to his empty penthouse, but apparently that was a lie.

He missed everyone.

Between Jarvis and Pepper and Rhodey and the Avengers; Tony never felt like he was alone. But now as he ascended the elevator greeted only by Friday, his loneliness started to rear its ugly head. His mind began thinking about all the things he did that lead him to this point.

Right now, the last thing Tony really wanted to do was think.

“So, I guess I’ll drink.” He said aloud in the elevator. His head had just started to fall back to lean on the wall behind him when he received a message from Friday over the speaker.

“There’s already one prepared and waiting for you, boss.” She said.

Tony was surprised. “Did one of the bots leave the lab Fri?” He asked. That was strange. Usually they always stayed in his labs. Though now that he was thinking about it, he really could go for one of Dummy’s stupid smoothies. They weren’t the best by a long shot, but damn if the little guy didn’t put all his heart into making them.

Then Friday decided to shock him once more.

“No Boss. Dummy, You, and Butterfinger have been sleeping all day.” She announced.

“Did you suddenly grow a pair of hands or should I be putting the suit on right now?” He asked, now fiddling around with his wristwatch just in case he was walking into something dangerous.

“I’m just as handless as always Boss. We had an intruder while you were gone.”

“An intruder or _our _intruder?”

“Ours.” She answered.

“Reindeer Games.” He sighed. He hated how his heart did a little jump when he realized who had stopped by for a visit. He wondered if he needed to get his chest checked. The effects of having the ark reactor removed must’ve not all been taken care of.

“Loki did come to inquire about your whereabouts. I informed him of the situation and he left a message and a gift for you before disappearing once more.”

Now _that _caught Tony’s attention. In all honesty, he wasn’t expecting to hear from the other man today. Last he checked, the demigod had returned to Asgard and hadn’t been seen on Earth since. To find out that he had just missed him made his chest hurt. He really should run a diagnostic on it. But for right now, that wasn’t really important. He wanted to know what Loki left him. Knowing the trickster, it could’ve been literally _anything_. Friday did say that he had a drink waiting for him. One would think that the first thing to come to his mind would be poison but surprisingly, that was the last thing he thought about.

That should’ve been the first clue as to what was wrong with his chest, but he ignored it and entered his penthouse.

Sure enough, he saw exactly what Friday was talking about.

There, in the middle of his living room, was a new side table. He was quite sure that he didn’t own such an ornate piece of furniture, but he knew right about from the green and gold color scheme that this had Loki written all over it. On top of the table was two items. The first was a card, no doubt the message Friday had mentioned earlier. The second was a chalice. The cup was made of polished gold and was encrusted with what appeared to be emeralds and tiny diamonds. As he grew closer, Tony could see that there were also tiny runes and what appeared to be Nordic letters painted between the lines. The words appeared to be glowing. At first, he believed it to be a trick of the light, but when he reached out to touch it, he could clearly see the reflected silver light bouncing off his hands. He wanted so bad to know what was written there. Magic was always a mixed feeling thing for him. It freaked him out just as much as it intrigued him.

Neither feeling stopped him from picking up the chalice to observe its contents.

The cup was nearly freezing to the touch. There was no way for it to still be this cold without some kind or magic involved. He looked inside but it was far too dark to see.

“Fri, can daddy get a little light in here, please.” He asked his A.I. The lights came up to around sixty percent. “Thanks baby girl.”

“Anytime Boss.” She replied.

With a full visual now, Tony looked at the inside of the cup.

Only to see darkness.

Another trick of the light he thought, until swirling the cup in a circle revealed the truth. The cup and the light in the room itself weren’t dark. It was the drink. It was a thick and almost milky texture as well, making Tony wonder if he was currently holding a cup of blood or something. It made him slightly weary to just take a drink of it without knowing.

“Friday, have you run a scan on this yet?” He asked.

“Of course, boss. I wouldn’t have let you touch it otherwise.” She said, her voice almost scandalized that he’d think she would allow him to come to harm that easily.

“And? What is? Potion, poison, crazy voodoo spell magic?”

“Chocolate.” Friday proclaimed.

Tony frowned.

“…chocolate?” He asked.

“Chocolate.” She said once more. “And other ingredients.”

“List other ingredients.” He asked.

“I’m detecting ice, chocolate ice cream, chocolate syrup, coffee liqueur, dark crème de cacao liqueur, and vodka.” Friday rattled off.

Hearing the ingredients, he immediately stuck his nose into the cup. He jerked back at the strong, sweet aroma. It was without a doubt chocolate and vodka. “That’s it? No unicorn essence or eye of the jabberwocky type business?” Tony said mostly to himself.

“Would you like there to be boss? I’m sure if you ask Loki politely he would be glad to add it in next time.”

“Hey! When did you get to be so spicy, young lady?” He said, facing one of the cameras near his balcony windows.

“I’d like to think I was born this way Boss.” The A.I. said with just as much sass as the first time.

“Most certainly was not.”

And that wasn’t a lie. One thing that Tony wanted for all of his creations was the ability to learn all by themselves. He liked that they could develop their own personas without his interference. It was why Dummy was still a complete spazz and Jarvis was prone to commenting on his health outside of Tony’s general parameters. It made times like these even more special. Made him feel less lonely in talking to someone who technically was not really there.

Speaking of people who were not present, Tony really wanted to know where Loki was right now. This certainly raised a lot of questions, ones that he couldn’t get a real answer to without the other man being present. He did have one thing though.

The card on the table was much like the first. The coloration and beautiful script was one that Tony was now familiar with. This letter was a bit longer than the other.

_ <strike>Stark,</strike> _

His name was neatly scratched out and the letter started again.

_Anthony, _

_It has come to my attention that you Midgardians are stranger than I first imagined. I came to visit after growing bored with the political torture that comes with dealing with the Asgardian council. Imagine my surprise when I am bombarded with the overbearing scent of roses and sweets. Your streets were riddled with gushing females and overenthusiastic males all trying to vie for their attentions. I asked one of the vendors about this custom and I was then informed of your Midgardian holiday known as Valentine’s Day. I am both intrigued and perplexed. _

_Nevertheless, I decided that I too would participate in this world’s customs if it meant that I would be away from Thor and his idiot friends. I grasped enough of the customs to know that I was to bring someone a gift as a token of my appreciation. Seeing as I detest most of this planet’s occupants, I decided that I shall repay one of the few that I don’t. I entered one of your taverns and asked the vendor working there to make something fitting of the holiday. I do not know what a Double Chocolate is, but assuming that it meets this holiday’s criteria of sweets, I reckon it should be up to your standards. As much as I would have like to have handed it to you personally, I was needed back at the palace for urgent business. Yet another situation that I must once more diffuse due to Thor’s foul temperament._

_Your Friday informed me of your whereabouts and thus I had this chalice enchanted to keep your gift cold whilst you were away. I have many more at the palace and so it makes no difference whether you keep it or not. I look forward to our next meeting._

_ My condolences for your companion and enjoy the rest of your Midgardian holiday. _

_-Loki, God of Chaos and Fire_

“Well this was certainly not how I thought this night was gonna go.” Tony whispered as he put the letter back on the table.

“Should I prepare a guest list for the wedding boss?” Friday chimed in.

Tony sputtered. “You know Friday, I heard M.I.T. is still looking for an A.I. to file all their student documents. One phone call and you’ll be on your way.” He said. If his cheeks were slightly warmer than they were before, then that wasn’t really anybody’s business but his own. “Besides, the guy was just repaying me back from the last couple of times.”

“And the fact that he chose to give you chocolate and essentially a love letter on Valentine’s Day is ‘repaying’ you back?”

“It’s not a love letter!” Tony shouted at the ceiling, cheeks no doubt burning a vibrant shade of red. “It’s more like a ‘sorry I missed your call’ letter!”

“So, he misses you? I’m not quite versed on human customs yet.”

Tony knew that was a blatant lie.

“One call, Friday!” Tony huffed. He took the sweet-smelling drink and walked over to his bar, grabbing one of his Stark pads along the way.

Settling down at his usual spot, Tony sniffed the drink. He wasn’t really a huge fan of chocolate, but one thing he never said no to was his good friend vodka. He raised the cold chalice to his lips, his eyes widening when the smooth beverage slid easily down his throat.

“Fri, you still got that recipe saved?”

“I do boss. Would you like me to have supplies sent to the tower?”

“Yeah.” He said quietly.

“I’m on it. Anything else, boss?” The computer asked, already placing orders in the background.

“Turn on some tunes for me Fri. The night is young and we got projects up the wazoo to work on.” He swirled his cup around as he began running test after test over in his head. “Starting with my new favorite Valentine’s Day gift.”

“I’m sure Loki will be happy to hear that next time he visits.” Friday said with the casualty of reciting the weather.

“Calling M.I.T. student admissions office.”

“M.I.T. student admissions office is closed for the holiday.”

Tony slammed his forehead on the bar top. “I should’ve known this day would come. The day one of my children would grow to hate me.” Came his dejected groan.

In response, Friday did as she was asked earlier and began blasting various love songs over the speakers, driving Tony almost to the point of insanity. Right around the third song, his chalice was empty and his taste buds were alight with the bitter taste of chocolate. It was such an odd thing really.

When he came back from seeing Happy, he was going to whip something up at the bar, hop in his bed, and hopefully fall into a deep uninterrupted sleep. Not his ideal end to the night, but it was something. The addition of Loki’s ‘not love letter’ and thoughtful gift was unexpected, but ended up being the icing on his cake.

A warm feeling overtook his chest much like it had done earlier when he thought about his newest companion.

The only difference was that now he was getting the feeling that it had nothing to do with the removal of his arc reactor. Friday’s teasing took on a whole new meaning and Tony didn’t know if he wanted to pat the A.I. on the head or dial M.I.T. in the morning.

When _Higher and Higher_ by Jackie Wilson came over the speakers, it was the moment that Tony knew it was one hundred percent going to be the latter…


	5. E is for Everclear

Chapter 5 – E is for Everclear

March

Let it be known that Tony Stark did in no means think he was an alcoholic. Yes, he partook a couple of times a week, but he found that as he got older and his body and mind could no longer handle his binges, he’d since drank a lot less. Now he usually drank at functions and holidays.

He could now happily add the times when Loki would drop in and visit him to a special occasion as well.

Those were the times where Tony chose to indulge in his love for a stiff drink and good company.

That didn’t mean that there weren’t _other _times either.

Like on the nights when his mother’s murder plagued his mind and his father’s harsh words pounded violently around his skull like a jackhammer.

Or at four in the morning when his nightmares become so real that it took him hours after to even remember that he was safe in his tower and not in a bunker in Siberia.

Times like those weren’t meant for alcohol that made him giddy and unapologetic. On days like that, Tony didn’t want to feel joy. He didn’t want to be a loose cannon either. He wanted to be nothing. Wanted to feel nothing. Days like these were rare because often times they ended up with him sitting somewhere in a hospital room getting his stomach pumped. Tony realized that he hadn’t had a night like that in a very long time.

Which meant that life thought that it was high time that he had one.

This one brought on by the one and only Virginia Potts.

He had been down in his lab as per usual. Together he and Friday were in the midst of making changes for B.A.R.F in the hopes to have it become a more stable environment for testing in hospitals and other treatment centers. In the middle of calculating a rather finicky holograph, Friday chimed up that they had a visitor.

“Boss, Miss Potts is asking for permission to enter the labs.”

Tony’s heart dropped into his stomach. He hadn’t spoken to Pepper really since their break. It hadn’t been nearly as explosive as he was expecting it to be, and they had done it with the knowledge that their friendship was still intact, but Tony just didn’t have the heart to face her so soon. Or ever. Which in hindsight was impossible seeing as she was still his secretary and was still taking over for 12 percent of Stark Industries. The most contact they had these last couple of months was short phone calls and one lined messages. Tony felt that there didn’t need to be any more communication between them aside from that.

Apparently Pepper didn’t think so.

If she was here, it was no doubt a personal call and not a business meeting. He wasn’t sure which one he would’ve preferred. Either way, there was no way to lie to the woman who knew his schedule like the back of her hands, so with great reluctance, he waved for Friday to allow her entrance.

Every second the elevator took to reach the bottom floor made Tony’s anxiety grow more and more. He didn’t want to see the woman nearly as much as he wanted to. The ding of the elevator made him jump to his feet and in order to save face, he turned to his keyboard and kept typing as if he hadn’t been staring at the metallic doors like a kicked puppy.

“Are we really doing this Tony?” Pepper called, stopping just in front of his desk to look down at Tony with exasperation.

“I’ve no clue what you’re talking about Pepper.” He said in a voice that didn’t even sound convincing to himself.

“Tony. You’re working on your holographic screen. I can see you typing gibberish as clear as day.”

“Just because you don’t know the complexities of the science that goes into my work doesn’t make it gibberish.” He pouted, already knowing that he had been found out.

He heard her sigh. “Okay, if you want to do this fine, but I’m not leaving til I say what I need to say.” She said, walking around the desk to stand beside him. He felt her take a deep breath before feeling the soft exhale tickle the hair next to his ear. She then told him why she was here. “I wanted to tell you this face to face. Not only as my boss, but as my best friend as well.” Pepper placed her hand over his to stop him from typing. It was enough for him to finally stop and look at her face. Her smile was bittersweet. “I’m getting married. This year. And I want you to be there.”

Tony had been stabbed before. Many times. Whether during a fight with Dr. Doom out in the streets of New York or by his own carelessness working in the lab, Tony had seen his fair share of injuries. They had been painful. Some even life threatening.

But never had he felt pain like _this_.

Pepper was getting married.

And not to him.

He thought that their breakup had been mutual and long coming. Pepper couldn’t handle his lifestyle. Ironman, the nightmares, the drinking, the self-destructive behavior. She couldn’t take it. Of course she tried. Tried to understand what Tony was going through, to get him help from therapist and Rhodey, but it was no use and Tony knew that tore her up inside. Her feelings of helplessness weren’t one-sided either.

Tony couldn’t take her tears.

Tears for not knowing how to help his PTSD.

Tears from knowing Tony would rather save the world than save their relationship.

Tears from worrying whether Tony was even going to come home the next night.

Would the drinking kill him first?

His heart?

A villain.

An experiment.

They’d all be valid answers which he knew as much as she did. ‘This was for the best’ became his mantra and soon he was able to slowly let his broken heart start to heal.

Until now.

Here she was. Standing there looking healthy and beautiful telling him that she was finally getting her happy ending. The one thing he knew he could never give her.

It _hurt_.

A hurt that he knew that he could never let her know he felt. Because he knew she would cry. Pepper would look at him and see the Tony she always wanted. The one who thought only of her and loved her most and above all. It would be the truth of course and Pepper would no doubt want that back.

Tony couldn’t allow that.

What Pepper would see would be nothing but a half-truth, the same one that had ultimately lead to their break-up. He loved her. More than anything. But that wouldn’t stop his nightmares. It wouldn’t absolve him of his guilt and self-loathing.

It wouldn’t make him give up Ironman.

It wouldn’t make her happy.

But he knew what _would_.

Someone who _wasn’t_ him.

Pepper had found that someone. A man who could give the woman he loved everything he knew he couldn’t. Stability. Reliability. Trust. Safety. Peace of mind. A man who would put her first no matter what.

Tony’s never met the man. Everything he knew about him came from secondhand mouths and little tidbits he managed to get up on the man when he ran him through the system.

He had to make sure that Pepper wasn’t dating a super villain afterall. Liam Weathers was a real stand up guy with a squeaky clean record. He worked as a dentist an hour away from the tower. Liam owned a little brown dog named Amy, bowled with his coworkers every third of the month, and drives the worlds slowest minivan.

Tony hated him right off the bat. Which meant that he was more than likely the perfect match for Pepper.

Soon the word hate didn’t sit right in his mouth. This wasn’t hate. It couldn’t have been. Nothing that could make Pepper smile like that, make her voice as soft as wind chimes- could truly be worth hating.

Envy.

Yeah. That felt better. Envy was something he could handle. A familiar emotion that one wouldn’t think he would be capable of. After all, he was Tony Stark; genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. What could he possibly have to envy?

If he could list all the things, they’d be there all night.

He didn’t have that kind of time now.

Pepper was standing there watching him with worried eyes. It just came to his attention that he hadn’t answered her and had been staring mutely off into the distance. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Pepper again, something he knew would be guaranteed to happen if he declined the wedding invitation.

Which is why he gave her a patent Stark smile and played his role as Pepper’s closest friend.

“Really Pepper, I’m hurt! How am I supposed to plan everything when I don’t even have a date?” He said, hitting her with a wide, toothy smile.

She bought it. “Yeah, no. When we’ve decided a date, you’ll be the first to know, but there’s no chance in hell that I’m letting you plan my wedding.”

“Why not? I’m an excellent party planner!” He said aghast.

“And by excellent planner you mean calling _me_ to put together some overpriced extravaganza, then _yes;_ you’re a mastermind.” She replied. “Trust me, I got the planning part covered. Maria is helping me.”

“Hill? She planning to make us go through a gauntlet before the reception?” It wouldn’t be surprising if she did. Of all the people Tony knew, if anyone was going to do such an agent thing as a obstacle course at a wedding; it would be Agent Hill.

Pepper laughed. “_No_. Maria’s had many uncover jobs as an agent. Wedding planner was one of them that she actually came to love. There’s no one else that I would trust with this.” Pepper’s phone rang from her purse. Tony was only able to see a glimpse of who it was; the name Liam was highlighted in a blue glow. She gave Tony a look that clearly said she needed to take this and he waved her off.

“Off with you now, your night in shiny armor awaits. I want updates Pep. If a dime comes out of your bank account for this wedding, I’m buying you a puppy.” He said spinning back to what he was working on before.

“I hate puppies Tony.”

“And your guilt won’t allow you to return it either. So don’t tempt me. As of now, your entire wedding is paid in full by Tony Stark. Go bananas.” Tony said dismissively. He expected her to leave after that, but instead, he had two warm arms wrapping around his neck from behind. He could feel Pepper’s breath on his neck, shuddering and hot as she hugged him close. Startled, Tony didn’t move. It felt like such a long ago that the two of them had hugged like this. Things were so different now- for the both of them- but the one thing that Tony cared about more than anything now was the fact that even though they weren’t together anymore, Pepper’s touch was still filled with love. In a way, he always knew that it always would be, but he had been afraid.

Quietly, too low for Pepper to hear, he scoffed to himself in exasperation.

Pepper never was one to hurt him on purpose.

She didn’t need to when he was able to do that well enough on his own.

He had been afraid for nothing.

Tony placed his hands over Pepper’s arms. He noticed that they were shaking slightly. “Are you crying? You know how I feel about crying.” Tony tried to get a glimpse of her face which proved to be difficult seeing as hers was buried in the back of his neck. He tried to call out to her again. “Pepper? Hey, if you’re going to get all emotional like this, I can always- “

“Thank you.” Came her soft whisper.

Tony knew from the way she whispered those two words that their meaning was deeper than a simple politeness. Everything the woman wanted to say to him had been summed up in two little words. And Tony understood completely in that moment. So instead of making a witty remark or trying to lessen the emotions saturating his workshop, Tony patted the woman’s hand and replied, “You’re welcome.”

He hoped that his words said all he wanted to say as well.

They must’ve, he thought, as Pepper finally released him from her death grip. He could finally see her tear streaked face, but didn’t say a word about it as she wiped them away as quickly as possible. The quiet in the room was soon becoming uncomfortable he realized. Luckily, the upbeat ringtone coming from a pocket of Pepper’s pantsuit broke the silence. She grabbed it and looked at the screen, her face lighting up at whomever was calling.

“It’s Liam, I gotta take this.” She said.

Tony waved her off. “Go talk to lover boy Pep. And remember what I said about the wedding.”

“You’ll be the first to know, I promise.” The woman smiled. “I’ll talk to you soon Tony. The moment me and Maria get this all sorted out, I’ll stop by again.”

Pepper gave Tony one final hug and placed a chaste kiss on the top of his head. She then twirled and headed for the elevator; phone attached to her ear as she recalled the conversation she just had to her boyfriend…

_Fiance_ _. _

The elevator closed and the workshop was quiet aside from the occasional hum of his work equipment.

For a while, Tony just sat there and stared at the blank holoscreen in front of him. At one point he thought he heard Friday calling his name, but the blood rushing in his ears drowned out any and all sounds.

Not that he would’ve answered her anyways.

Right now, he didn’t want to talk.

He didn’t want to listen.

He didn’t want to invent, or scheme, or listen to music, or anything else.

Tony was happy for Pepper. He was; an no one on this planet – not even himself- could convince him otherwise.

But…

He _himself_ wasn’t happy at all.

Pepper’s current happiness would now always serve as a cruel reminder that he was never able to do that for her in all their years together. That his actions as a human being have lead him to where he is now.

And just where was he exactly?

Alone. He’d never felt more alone than he did right now. Today was a reality check that he never wanted to face. One he’d been avoiding up until this point. It was one thing for him to be in someone’s life and be hated. He had become used to that by now.

But witnessing firsthand how much better someone’s life had become without him apart of it?

That broke his mechanical heart.

A heart that was beating far too fast at this point.

“Boss, you’re experiencing a panic attack. Should I ask Miss Potts to return to the tower.” Friday chimed in from the ceiling.

“No,” He immediately hissed, jumping to his feet. One hand was clutching his chest as he made his way to the elevator. “I’ll be fine Friday. Just get me to my room.”

“Boss, I don’t think you should-“

“Friday.”

“…yes, Boss.” The A.I. relented.

The doors of the elevator opened and Tony practically scrambled inside to lean against the cool steel walls. His breathes were coming in shallow, quick gasps as he tried to hold it together. When the doors opened up to his floor, he fled the metal box and went over to his bar. He needed to calm his nerves in the only way he knew how. Bypassing most of his favorites, Tony grabbed an unopened bottle near the back of his cabinet beneath the sink.

Tony hated Everclear. The drink burned his throat in the worst way possible and tasted of absolute sin. But it was strong and it was quick and it would make him forget. All the things he needed to happen as soon as possible before he went on a complete and total meltdown.

The first shot made him sputter, nearly causing him to spit it out all over the floor.

The next three were just as bad.

By the fifth one, he was woozy enough to down it like a champ.

Around the ninth, it started to taste like water.

When the now half bottle of Everclear was left behind on the counter, Tony was splayed out on the floor feeling sick to his stomach. His head was swimming like a fish in the ocean and Friday’s voice was practically talking in slow motion. It was hard to focus, which meant it was impossible to think.

In clearing his mind of all thought, he momentarily cleared his heart of pain as well. Would he remember what happened in the morning? Naturally. Would the subsequent vomiting and nausea make him regret his life choices? Without a doubt.

Did he really care about any of that right now?

Not one bit.

Tony was free of thought for a few hours. He didn’t have to think about the world, or Pepper, or Rhodey, or anything else. It was just Tony swimming alone in a foggy ocean of booze and scattered flashes of lights and sounds.

It was whilst lost in his cloudy mind on his bedroom floor that a subtle flash of green shimmered into existence by his patio window. Tony barely acknowledged it, his eyes unable to stay open, let alone stay open long enough to figure out what it was. Through the haze, he swore that he heard someone calling his name. He thought it was Friday, but a tiny part of him could decipher it sounded far too masculine to be so. Again he ignored it.

Until the feeling of his cheek being pressed against a sheet of ice jolted him from his dazed state. Startled eyes popped open to lock onto angry green ones. They were familiar he vaguely thought. It didn’t register why until his guest spoke.

“Stark, what have you done, you imbecile!” Came the hissing tone of Loki.

Tony gave the man a lopsided smile. “Lokis! Wha aru doin her?” He speech was slurring to the point that it was barely recognizable.

He didn’t seem amused in the slightest.

“The court of Asgard were being as foolish as you are now and as such I felt the need to excuse myself from their presence.” His eyes narrowed down at the man. “Yet I arrive here only to find you in this sorry state. Your A.I has informed me that it could not rouse you from inebriation.”

Tony hummed, unconscious pressing his face into the sheet of ice which he could now see was actually Loki’s hand pressed against his cheek. The coldness had startled him at first, but the longer it stayed there, the more Tony found himself craving it’s touch on his burning skin. It was making him sleepy.

“Stark!” Loki barked at him. “Do not fall asleep.”

“Tired.” He mumbled, unable to keep his eyes open any longer.

“And what should happen if you sleep and drown in your own vomit?” the man hissed.

Tony figured that no one would be surprised.

That’s what he wanted to say anyways, except he found that moving his lips was something his body didn’t want to do at the moment. He wanted to go to sleep. If he went to sleep, then everything would be okay. Loki was worrying for nothing. Tony’s eyes drooped lower.

A blueish glow coming from above him made him open them back up.

Loki’s hand was hovering over his face and surrounding it was a blue aura not un-similar to his arc reactor. Strands of blue and white swirled around the demigod’s hand in a hypnotic pattern, one that Tony found hard to follow with his eyes. He found it beautiful to watch.

What was _not _beautiful was the look on the other man’s face as he gazed down at Tony.

Since the two of them begun their little meet ups on New Years, Loki and him had been on good terms. Their conversations were usually light or- in the times where they both were having a rough time- were full of understanding.

There was no light or understanding in Loki’s gaze. His green eyes were practically glowing with fury in the darkness of his penthouse. The warlock looked as he had that day he flung him from the window not too far from where they were now. It was like they were enemies again and for a split moment, the pain that Tony had tried to spare his heart from earlier came back full force.

He had ruined things _again_. Loki hated him now. He went back to his dangerous, self-destructive ways and now he had pushed away the only person who would talk to him anymore.

Friday sensed his oncoming panic attack long before he knew he was having one.

The room was closing in on him. The magic swirling around Loki’s hands was too bright to the point of blinding him. Everything was going wrong. He messed up. He ruined everything. He always ruins everything. This was his fault. Pepper was right. The paparazzi was right. Steve was right. His father. Obadiah. He’s a failure. He didn’t deserve any of them. He doesn’t deserve anything. It would be better if had had died in Afghanistan. He should have died. He should have-

“Hush Stark. That’s enough.”

His thoughts were broken by Loki’s commanding voice. He didn’t have the heart to meet his eyes, knowing that looking into them would only make the hate there seem even more real.

Loki wasn’t having any of that.

“Stark, look at me.” He demanded. When Tony refused, the hand on his cheek forced his gaze to turn towards him instead. He shut them. “Stark.”

“No.” Tony whispered. He wished the other man would just leave him to suffer by himself.

“If I did that, you would end up killing yourself. And I did not spare your life for you to end it in such a pathetic manner.”

He hadn’t meant to say that aloud. Shame burned through him as Loki bared witness to his misery. Misery that he had had brought upon himself. He tried urging the man to leave him be but Loki persisted.

“I will not go until you open your eyes.” He tsked. “Only when you meet my gaze will I leave you to your self-deprecation. If that is what you wish. But you must look at me.”

Was it really that simple? Would the man leave him alone if he met his gaze? Did he really want him to go in the first place? Tony didn’t know if he could handle being alone with his thoughts right now. But seeing Loki’s disdain wasn’t something he wanted to do either. He wondered which one would leave him feeling worse in the long run.

He decided to take a risk and open his eyes.

They widened upon seeing the black haired man’s expression.

The anger from earlier had fizzled down, but it was still present there all the same. Except now there was something stronger in the man’s eyes. Something that Tony had never seen directed towards him in all his time on this planet.

Resolve.

Loki’s face spoke of confidence and determination. He had clearly come to an unspoken resolution without Tony’s knowledge, and whatever it was, the man had made a decision that he would undoubtedly follow through on.

What this newfound determination had to do with Tony, he wasn’t quite of yet. But he didn’t doubt he would find out soon enough.

“Good. Now that I have your attention, let’s make one thing clear. I don’t like being _bored_ Stark. And I’ve grown somewhat…_fond_ of our interactions of late.” He raised an eyebrow at him. “Interactions that can’t exactly be _continued_ with you being splayed out on the floor like a vagabond in an alleyway.”

The hand still engulfed in glowing magic was moved to hover over his stomach. A feeling of uneasiness washed over him.

“Therefore, seeing as you can’t seem to keep _yourself_ alive of your own volition, I’ll be stepping in to lend a _helping_ _hand_.” His smile became sharp as a razor. “Thank you for opening your eyes. This spell is much easier to use when there’s direct eye contact.”

Next thing Tony knew, Loki had jammed his hand hovering over him _into_ his stomach. Fire ignited within his core and the next thing Tony knew, he was screaming in pain and expelling the contents of his guts all over his bedroom floor. Agony rippled over his body in every direction as he heaved what seemed like every drop of liquid sitting in the bottom of his abdomen onto the carpet. When he was done, he was seconds to collapsing onto the puddle of bile- having rolled to his knees when he started vomiting- when a strong arm wrapped around his chest and prevented him from falling.

“Easy Stark, let it all out.” He could hear Loki quietly say from his position behind him. “Thor handles this spell just as bad, if not worse than you have. The next part is easier.”

Tony didn’t care to know what the next part was. He had become physically too weak to even hold a inch of his body up any longer. Had Loki not been holding him up, he would’ve fell into his own vomit already.

He guessed that was one thing to be grateful for.

Alas, there was no way that Tony was going to be able to stay awake this time around, even if Loki forced him to. His eyes had fallen shut and he was letting Loki carry all of his weight in order to prevent him from tipping over. However, unlike the first time, the man didn’t stop him from falling asleep.

“Sleep, Stark. My magic will handle the rest.” Were the final words he heard before he left the waking world; his last thoughts being whether he would punch Loki or buy him something nice the next time he saw him.

Waking up the next morning hangover free and his carpet free of vomit assured him that it would differently be the latter.


	6. F is for Four Loko

Chapter 6: F is for Four Loko

April

Loki didn’t show up for the rest of March. The last time he saw the man was the night that he saved his life.

And he _did_ save his life.

When Tony finally came to, Friday was absolutely cross with him. Or as cross as an A.I. could be with their range of growing emotions. Tony was pretty sure that Friday had anger down pack. The lights were set to 100% the moment he opened his eyes that morning. The elevator on the way downstairs jerked every once in a while and made Tony almost spill his coffee on himself. Of course the machine told him it was a malfunction in her system, but Tony knew that his creations didn’t ‘malfunction’ like this. She was angry, and really Tony couldn’t blame her. He had done something foolish. Allowed his rampant emotions grab hold of him and almost got him killed.

If Loki hadn’t shown up, Tony wasn’t sure what would’ve happened.

Thinking of the demigod brought a wave of warmth to his cheeks. Despite the fact that he hadn’t seen the man in who knows how long, Tony found that his every thought brought him back to thinking about Thor’s adopted brother.

Loki was a breath of fresh air.

“More like smoke filling my lungs.” He corrected himself as he drove down the highway towards the venue where he was supposed to be holding his speech.

He missed Loki. A _lot. _He was right to correct himself when he said that the man was like smoke filling his lung.

Breathing was easy. So much so that most times you don’t even realize that you’re doing it. It’s first nature. But smoke in the lungs? There was no way someone was going to be able to ignore _that_. He’d been Ironman for a few years now; been in his fair share of burning buildings and fought enough villains to becoming intimately familiar with having his lungs ready to explode from the toxic inhalation of smoke.

Which is also why he knew the sweet relief of when it was cleared away…

His lungs still felt like they were on fire.

He couldn’t clear himself of Loki no matter how much he tried.

Therefore, he decided to return to his default of working himself so hard that he simply _forgot_. He started by lurking about down in the lab trying to improve his Ironman suits. Nano technology was the future, he just _knew_ it. The science behind it was tricky but he was determined and had recently acquired an obscene amount of time for himself to do just about anything. He would begin his new project immediately.

Right after his presentation that is…

It went better than he expected. Or just as he expected. Tony wasn’t being egotistical when he said that it would most likely be the best performance those college kids were ever going to witness in their lifetime. He had pulled out all the stops, treating the small event like it was one of his expos. The crowd ate it up and Tony got his high from being the star of the show.

But like all shows, it had to end, and like a poorly built building- he started crumbling not long after. The man should’ve got into his car and just gone home. However, the thought of going back home to his robots and nothing more made something churn in his stomach.

He decided to stay for a while.

Tony exited the venue and started walking in a random direction. Pepper and Happy would probably have a field day if they found out he was wondering the streets alone in the middle of the night. He wouldn’t blame them of course, but they’d have no reason to worry. He had his briefcase with one of his suits inside- ready to jump to protect him at a moments notice. It was fine.

Eventually the billionaire’s wandering brought him to a college block party. He was hoping that there would be one somewhere nearby. It was a weekend after all, and some of the students that had showed up to his event were dressed like they were going to a rave rather than a seminar.

Music blasted from several houses, melding together in a symphony of unidentifiable noises. Teens were walking in all different directions; some entering the houses on a whim as others huddled together on the front lawns to join in on a couple of drunken games. Naturally people noticed him, but many of them were content to take pictures from afar and drunkenly shout their love for him from a distance. He was fine with that. Tony was just here to soak up the atmosphere. Watching all these young people party and scream and run free brought back fond memories. Memories of a time where Rhodey and him ruled the campus. Or more like, Tony ruled the campus and Rhodey followed behind making sure that he didn’t end up getting expelled in the process. College was about around the time that he finished Dum-E and was really starting to make his mark in the technological community.

That seemed like a lifetime ago.

Tony ended up at a bus stop at the end of the street. Some girls in skimpy outfits were giggling nearby; both trying to get his attention and trying to play it cool at the same time. He took pity and waved at them, knowing full well that college girls were no longer to his tastes. They went wild and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

The sound of a roaring engine came from further up the street. A black pick-up truck came rolling up the street, hauling a group of frat boys in every seat. One was driving; another was hanging hallway out the passenger side, and three more were free surfing in the back. It pulled up to the curb where he was sitting and one of the guys in the back hopped out.

“Whooo! _Ladies_, your chariot has arrived!” He yelled.

The four girls that he’d been sharing the bus stop with began screaming and dancing as the guy proceeded to help each one into the back of the truck’s bed. When he was about to jump back in with them, one of the two red heads in the group pointed at Tony over the guy’s shoulder. The frat boy turned and looked at Tony. At first he didn’t say or do anything. Then, apparently his buzzed brain finally caught up and Tony sat and watched as he proceeded to lose his mind.

“Holy shit, is that _Tony_ _Stark_?” He hollered.

“In the flesh.” Tony smirked.

“Dude this is the best night ever! I’m a huge fan of Ironman! Look!” The guy turned and pulled his shirt over his head, revealing a huge tattoo of his first suit from a few years back.

“Is that my first suit?” Tony asked.

“Yeah man. The others are cool and all, but the first one was a _classic_! The OG!” Frat guy continued. Blondie jumped out of his skin when the guy driving smashed the horn and waved for him to get in. The young man flipped him off. “Dude, fuck off, I’m coming! This is freakin _Ironman_!”

Seeing that it was getting late for him as well, Tony stood up and brushed off the pants of his suit. He rummaged around in his pockets to see what he had on his person to write with. Coming up with a sharpie, he whistled for the other’s attention. “Got any paper?”

Realizing his intentions, the kid went into a frenzy to rummage through his pockets. When he came up with nothing, the dejected look on the other’s face was enough to send Tony into a laughing fit.

He made a gimme motion with his free hand. “Arm.”

The kid looked like he was about to cry. When the arm was in reach, Tony scrawled his famously flamboyant autograph across his arm and the short message of ‘party hard, study harder’ was written right below it. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” He turned him back to the car and gave him a light shove. “Go on, your buddy’s about to floor it without you.”

“Oh my god! _Dude_! This is the best night _ever_! Whoo! Thanks Ironman! Dude, wait right there!” He then proceeded to vault into the back of the pick up and rummage around in a backpack sitting between the other guys in back. “Catch!”

Tony’s quick reflexes was the only reason he was able to catch the can thrown his way without problems.

“It ain’t much, but it’s the good stuff! We ball on a budget out here don’t we guys!” He yelled. The truck of excited college students started whooping and hollering, similar cans in hand. The driver peeled off and frat dude shouted back at him as he showed the other people his arm. “I’m getting this tattooed on my arm! Best! Night! Ever~!”

He pulled his watch up to his mouth with a smile. “Fri, make sure they get where they’re going.”

“I’m on it boss. Sending a few of the legion to tail them.”

“Thanks kiddo.” When he took a look down at the can in his hand, he scoffed. “Kids these days Fri, no taste at all.”

He returned to his seat on the bus stop, popping the can of Four Loko open with a snap. He pressed it to his lips and took a huge gulp.

And _gagged. _

“What the _hell_ is this shit!” The billionaire gasped harshly. He turned the can. “Hemp? _Hemp_! Time has not aged well. This is an abomination…”

He took another swig.

“Boss, I thought you hated it.”

“I do.” Tony replied, sitting back on the seat.

“Then why are you still drinking it?”

Wasn’t that the question of the night. Tony looked down at the can. He was no stranger to four loko. During his college days, it was practically all he drank. They were cheap- which didn’t matter if you were disgustingly rich like him- but they were far more infamous for hitting hard and nasty.

And by nasty, he meant the taste. They were horrid. The one in his hand far worse than any other he had tasted before.

So why _was _he still drinking it?

Maybe because he was bored and had nothing else to do.

Maybe he didn’t want a gift from that kid earlier go to waste after that interaction they just shared.

Maybe he was thirsty.

He looked down at the green can in his hand and a pair of eyes the same color flashed through this thoughts. Tony sighed.

Or maybe….

He had a thing for things that drove him crazy.


	7. G is for Glitch

Chapter 7 – G is for Glitch

Late May

Tony’s birthday was upon him faster than he was expecting. The month seemed to fly by in a rush while he kept himself busy.

That all changed come the morning of his birthday.

The genius couldn’t lie, he didn’t really have anything planned this year. He just didn’t feel up to it to be honest. Between the empty tower and his past birthdays bringing nothing more but misfortune and ruin; the day just didn’t hold the same spark it once did. Therefore, Tony was perfectly content to spend the rest of his day alone in the tower.

A shame that no one else got the memo.

“Sir, Miss Potts is at the door.” Friday cut his music to say.

From beneath the car he was fixing up, Tony rolled out and frowned at one the cameras above him. “Did she say what she wanted.

“To celebrate your birthday. Get up here now. We’re all waiting.” Pepper’s voice came from the intercom.

“We?” Tony asked.

“Yes, _we_. Now if you’re not up here in the next five minutes, I’m sending someone down to get you.” She continued.

“Really Pep, harassing me on my own birthday. That’s low, even for you.” Tony laughed, already getting to his feet so he could go wash his face over by the sink. He would have to change his shirt as well seeing as the one he was wearing was covered in grime and grease.

“So is holding a one man pity party. Three minutes.”

“Yes mom.” Tony made his way to the elevator. “Fri, save our progress for me.”

“Of course sir.”

We- as it would turn out- was a group of people he never thought he would be celebrating his birthday with. Pepper and Rhodey were there- the least surprising of the guest. The other four more so. Breaking away from the group, the smallest guest came bounding up to him with bright hazel eyes and a bounce in her step. Tony hated that he couldn’t resist reaching down and petting Amy who was overly excited to have his attentions. He smirked at Pepper.

“I thought you said you hated puppies?” He teased.

“Amy is almost five years old. Not a puppy.” She shrugged.

“Yeah, tell that to her when she’s jumping on the sofas.” The man next to her laughed, kissing the woman’s forehead sweetly. He approached Tony and scooted the dog away from him when her excitement was growing to be too much. “Amy, behave. I’m sorry about her. She’s easily excitable. I’m Liam.”

A hand was held out to him and Tony gave it a firm shake. “Tony Stark.”

“I guess it would be too cliché to say that I’ve heard so much about you.” Liam said, picking up Amy and returning to Pepper’s side.

“A bit. Though someone not knowing who I am would be hilarious.”

There was a laugh to his left. “As if that would happen. You haven’t changed at all Tony.”

“And you’ve changed a lot Agent.” She came in for a hug which he accepted. “New haircut? Looks nice. Like a real superspy.”

Maria Hill pulled away and smirked at the man. “I would hope so seeing as that’s my job. Fury says happy birthday by the way.”

A raised brow. “Is that _all_ he said?”

“’Don’t blow anything up this year’ was also added.” She admitted.

“I told him that I would make sure you didn’t.” Rhodey said from his seat on the couch. “After all, that’s practically _my_ job at this point.”

“Aw Rhodey, you do care.” Tony cooed, pinching his best friend’s cheek.

Everyone was laughing at their antics, except for the last person standing over in the corner of the room who had yet to say anything since their arrival. Tony met Pepper’s eyes and the unspoken question was answered with a nervous smile. She walked over and whispered in his ear.

“He said that he wanted to come. The others said it wasn’t a good idea since they’re still fugitives and you might turn him away. He didn’t listen and came anyways.” She told him.

Tony nodded and turned his gaze over to Vision.

The android was getting the hang of human emotions pretty well- or at least Tony thought so since it was clear that he was uncomfortable in Tony’s presence. He could understand why. After the civil war, he hadn’t really been on speaking terms with the other Avengers. They probably thought he hated them, which he didn’t. Angry, yes. Disappointed? Absolutely.

But hate?

He didn’t have it in him.

Especially not with Vision who he saw as one of his children as much as he did all of his other bots. The android had taken his side during the altercation after all; only turning away for Wanda who he was apparently in love with. As a parent, who was he to harp on his child for being in love when he would’ve literally done the same thing if it meant saving Pepper? He couldn’t and he was fully prepared to show Vision he meant that too.

“First time you see your old man in who knows how long and I can’t even get a hug?” He laughed with open arms. “On my birthday too? Come on Vis, who raised you?”

Vision seemed absolutely confused which caused just about everyone else in the living room to start laughing. Tony watched as yellow light rippled over the robot’s red skin and revealed smoothe, pink flesh. The flush green and yellow outfit was replaced with a red t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. The man standing before him looked both familiar and unfamiliar which didn’t really bother him since he reminded him of how the real Jarvis used to look in his youth. It was comforting, to the point that when Vision walked into his hug, he let it linger much longer than he planned to.

“It’s good to see you Tony.” Vision murmured, pulling away with a smile.

“You too Vis.” The man said just as quietly.

“Alright, alright, alright,” Rhodey said, walking straight threw them to get to one of the panels on the wall that controlled the sound system. “This isn’t a funeral, let’s get this party started!” He yelled.

And party they did.

* * *

The next seven hours was spent with the group laughing, drinking and playing a large assortment of board games as requested by Tony himself. He may have lost Monopoly to Hill twice in a row, but the man was having fun nonetheless. It was especially fun to watch as both Vision and Pepper seemed to struggle the most with just about all of the games they played.

“Okay, I was too busy running _your _company to play board games.” Pepper told him as they were getting ready to walk out the front door.

“Those big wigs in my board meetings do nothing _but_ play games on how to screw you over for our stocks. And they’ve yet to win because I only hire the best.” Tony hugged her and smirked. “Winning mind games in the board room; board games.”

Pepper wouldn’t even grace him with a smile, but Liam laughed and that made him alright in his book. The look Pepper gave him was priceless. “Oh come on Pep, that was funny. He set you up for that one!” He said sheepishly.

He pat Liam on the shoulder. “Yeah Pep, don’t be too hard on Scrivello over here.”

“Scrivello?”

“_Tony_! Sorry Liam, Tony likes to give people _terrible_ nicknames.” She explained, glaring over at her boss.

Liam laughed and helped her put her coat on. “Well, I _do_ get paid to cause people pain, so I guess he’s not far off.”

“Someone who _actually _gets my references? Pepper; marry that man.”

The couple laughed and hooked arms as they left the building and opened their van door to let Amy inside. “I will! Just for you Tony!” Pepper yelled from the passenger’s side. “Goodnight! Happy birthday!”

“We’ll come visit again before the wedding!” Liam bellowed right after.

Tony waved and the two lovebirds drove away; the last ones to leave the tower. It was just him now and the man sighed deeply. He had fun tonight. It was rare for him to be surprised now and days, so the impromptu birthday party was unexpected, but appreciated. And as he made his way back up to his penthouse, the man found himself humming to his self as he returned to his room. Upon entering, Tony asked for Friday to lower the main lights and turn his bar lights on. His drink from earlier was still sitting their, ice melted, but still drinkable. He sat down and took a swig of it, wincing as the concoction slid down his throat and lit his chest on fire. “Urgh, that’s the last time I let Vis play bartender, bless his metal heart. ‘Refreshing summer drink my ass’. It's all vodka.”

“…it tasted fine to me.”

“Boss, intruder.”

The inventor slowly looked up at the camera closest to his right. “Fri. A little _late_ don’t you think?” He turned around to face Loki. “Lokes. You came!”

The tall demigod chuckled warmly. “_Anthony_.” Tony didn’t mean to shudder, but he wasn’t expecting the man to purr his name like that. His palms almost dropped his glass from how sweaty they got. “I heard tale that your birthing day was today. I came to extend my good tidings.” His smirk melted into a softer smile. “And I come bearing a _gift_.”

Tony perked up at that. “I don’t often get gifts from people. Most assume I have everything already or I can just buy it.”

“And can you?” Loki asked, walking further into the light provided by the bar. He was wearing black slacks, brown boots, and dark green and gold tunic.

It looked good on him.

‘Or maybe _he_ just looks good.’ He nearly choked as his mind decided to dive off a cliff and into dangerous territories. A distraction was needed something fierce and so he steered his mind back to the question the man asked. “Of course. Aside from maybe T’Challa, there is no man on Earth richer than me.” He said confidently.

The world hated him.

He had wronged someone, _somewhere_, and just didn’t know it yet.

He _had_ to have messed with the wrong person somewhere and picked up a curse along the way.

It was the only logical reason as to why Loki decided to swagger up to his seat and loom over him. Curse his short genes. In this moment, he truly felt the power of the being before him, and no matter how innocent he pretended to act- or how casual he tried to dress- Tony had no illusions that there wasn't a literal _god_ standing in front of him. _Over_ him; green eyes glowing with magic and perfect white teeth gleaming under the light of the bar. It sent a jolt of something up his spine.

Excitement.

Danger.

Arousal.

Maybe it was all of them. It wouldn’t matter anyways since he was fully prepared to see where each one lead.

By this point, Loki had mischief sparkling in his eyes as he took Tony’s response and mulled it over to give his own. “No one on Midgard, you say? Well isn’t it _just_ your luck that I am neither a man nor do I hail from this world. Tell me; have you heard of Svartalfheimr?”

There was no hiding his excitement. “I think I’ve heard Thor talk about it once or twice. He said dwarves live there or something.”

Loki nodded. “Indeed. It is the land of dwarves; greatest craftsmen in all the realms. They’re stubborn, greedy, _prideful_ creatures who don’t play nice with others.” The man sneered. “_But_, despite their foul natures, they make for loyal allies if you get on their good side.”

“Let me guess; you got on their good side.” Tony smiled.

“Naturally. After settling the matter between them and the elves after Thor’s last fail of diplomacy, they invited me to their world for a feast. It’s where I was able to procure _this_.” The man twirled his hands in a manner too fast for Tony’s eyes to keep up with. A flash of blue encompassed them and when it died down, the man was holding a white and gold sphere the size of a watermelon.

He was confused. “What is that? A magic medieval bomb?”

Loki chuckled. “No, it’s a _gift_. A weapon forged by the dwarves would be any Asgardian’s life desire. But I could tell it would not be yours. Weapons are your specialty and pride after all.”

“Yeah, can’t see myself lugging around something like Thor’s magic hammer everywhere I go. Not my style.” Tony laughed.

“I figured. Which is why I brought you _this_ instead.” Loki placed the sphere in Tony’s arms and the man cradled the heavy ball carefully. “I noticed you no longer have your reactor, so I’ll need to use a bit of my seidr to turn it on. Hold still.”

“Whoa, turn it on? Wait a-” Tony stuttered.

Too late. Loki pushed the sphere close to Tony’s chest and waved over it with a shower of gold sparks. Runes that weren’t visible before lit up along the top of the sphere and he watched as they began flashing rapidly. The man braced himself when it began shaking; vibrating so fast in his lap that he was afraid that it was going to fly onto the floor and break.

Just when he thought that was exactly what was going to happen- it stopped.

“Uh?” Tony glanced up at Loki. “What was that? Better yet, what is this- gah!” 

He had looked down at the sphere and nearly jumped out of his skin when the sphere was _looking back_.

Two bright white orbs were staring up at him between a pair of gold plates. They opened further and there was apparently a face to go with those eyes. If Tony was afraid to drop it before, he was terrified to drop it now that there was something _living_ in his lap. He realized the creature, now that it was starting to unfold from inside the sphere it was incased in, wasn’t a creature at all. It was a robot. A small one, but there was no mistaking that the gold and white thing in front of him was anything else. He listened as it started making little noises; whirring and beeping curiously like it had just awoken from a nap. Loki reached over and grabbed the sphere- shell?- and pulled it away. The jostling startled it, for the robot gave a frightened beep before flinging two skinny arms out and wrapping itself around Tony’s neck. Completely working on autopilot, the man cradled the little thing to make sure it didn’t fall.

“It’s already attached itself to you. Splendid.” Loki said, vanishing the empty sphere the same way he had summoned it earlier. “I’m sure the dwarves will be elated.”

“Elated about what exactly? Who’s the kid?” Tony said, trying to carefully untangle the thing from his neck. It wouldn’t budge.

“The dwarves are not only known for making weapons. The technology on Svartalfheimr is unmatched by very few. And when I sung praises of you here on Midgard…” The man took a seat next to Tony and picked up the man’s drink still sitting on the countertop. With a tap of his finger, frost danced up the side and chilled the drink, which Loki sipped from with a smirk. “They were _impressed. _The dwarves don’t just give their technology to anyone, but I managed to persuade them to make a commission for a fellow engineer.”

Tony looked down at the robot. It stared up at him quietly before a seam along the lower half of it’s face opened up to reveal a mouth. A warble came out and Tony found himself smitten. It was impossible to hide the smile and that made Loki look all the more smug about what he’d done. “You’re very pleased with yourself aren’t you.”

“Absolutely.” He laughed.

The comfortableness was contagious and soon the little bot decided it was brave enough to leave Tony’s side. He let it drop to the floor on it’s gangly legs and look around the room with curiosity. It cooed excitedly and decided to explore…

Except it couldn’t take two steps before it tripped and slammed its face into the floor. Both men watched what it would do next.

Neither expected for it to started _wailing. _

“What the hell Loki!” Tony yelled, running over to scoop the thing up off the floor. Oil leaked from it’s eyes and Tony was panicking as he tried to console the pathetic thing. “I thought this was a robot!”

“It _is_.” The man said with his own hands over his ears. “I told the dwarves how you treated your other creations and to make it act similarly.”

Tony’s eyes widened. “And _how _do I treat them?”

“Like your children.”

“For the love of- dammit Loki!!” He yelled, patting the bot on it’s round head. The cries were starting to lessen now as it clung to his chest. “I don’t treat them like children.”

“I beg to differ.” Friday chimed in from the speakers.

“One more sassy response from you and I’ll…_damn_.” He sighed upon hearing how he sounded.

Loki threw his head back in laughter. “I’m sure that you will grow fond of it soon enough.”

“You’re very confident that I’m keeping him. Haven’t even given him a name yet. Everyone knows that it’s easier to let something go when it doesn’t have a name.” Tony murmured.

“So what’s it name?” Loki purred knowingly.

Tony was going to tell him. Probably had it picked out the moment those little eyes peered up at him just a little while ago. But it went out the window when the little bot began spazzing in his arms. And the moment it did, Tony knew two things in that moment.

The name he had in mind was no longer fitting and that there was no way he could get rid of a bot that was so clearly made for him.

For when the crying started, the oil spillng from its eyes had soaked into Tony’s shirt. When it took notice of what it had done, the bot tried to wring his shirt out, but doing so got oil all over its hands.

Which it tried to clean on the nearest cloth…which was Tony’s shirt.

Tony burst into hysterics as the bot started wailing again and ironically making the problem it tried to fix even worse than before.

Loki was _beyond_ confused, but Anthony seemed happy and that was all that mattered. His drink was taken and Tony downed it in one go, throat burning just as it did before. He turned a bright smile towards Loki.

“Glitch.” He said shaking the glass. He then patted the bot on it’s head. “_Glitch_.”

Considering the reasons he named his other bots, Tony knew that Glitch would fit right in with everyone else. Loki was wrong. He wouldn’t grow to be fond of the little guy; he was already fond of the imperfect creature before him. He would be a handful for sure, but Tony was so used to Dum-E’s antics that he was sure he’d be able to handle anything the creature threw his way.

If only he _knew_…

The rest of Tony’s birthday ended quietly once he assured Glitch he wasn’t upset about the shirt. Loki didn’t leave immediately, which secretly made his heart flutter happily. He sat at the bar chatting away to Tony as the man in turn talked about how he named the other bots who lived inside the penthouse. The billionaire ended up talking so long that by the time the sun was peaking over the horizon, the man was fast asleep against the bar top.

Tony’s hair was swept from his face fondly by Loki. “Happy Birthday, Anthony.” He said softly.

It took no effort to lift the man and carry him over to his bed on the opposite side of the room. He threw the covers back and placed him in the center gently. The god was just about to pull them back over him when something out of the corner of his sight caught his eye.

Glitch was next to his legs, scrambling with all his might to get up into the bed. He gave him a boost. The robot warbled gratefully before crawling onto Tony’s chest and snuggling up beneath his chin. The man didn’t stir at all and soon both of them were sound asleep. Loki replaced the cover and backed away.

He disappeared in a shower of gold and Friday cut the lights, delving the penthouse in a serene silence until the next day…


	8. H is for Hurricane

Chapter 8 – H is for Hurricane

Early June

When Loki appears next, it was after a long day of bargaining and trade with the gods of Vanaheim. It wouldn’t have taken so long had his brother not gone and caused the creatures a great offense during an out of hand night of drinking. He should’ve expected it since it _was _Thor he was dealing bit, but a part of him hoped that after this many centuries, the man would be less of an idiot when it came to diplomacy.

He had hoped for too much.

And so he reverted to what was quickly becoming his favorite past time.

Visiting Anthony.

Loki kept the gold and blue robes he wore just as they were. He doubted Anthony cared what attire he arrived in seeing as the other rarely changed when he came for an impromptu visit. The god walked the hidden paths of Yggdrasil until he came out the other side in a forest on Midgard. From there, he teleported straight to the man’s penthouse. It was usually where he found the man when he came to visit and he was hoping that would be true today as well seeing as he was somewhat exhausted from his Vanaheim trip.

Anthony was no where to be found.

“Good afternoon, silver-tongue.” Friday chimed in.

“Will you ever address me as my given name?” He asked the A.I.

“You have so many. Would Odinson suit you better?” She asked.

He shook his head. “No. Call me what you will, but never that.” He hissed.

“Very well. If you’re looking for Boss, he’s in the common room on the floor by the window.” Friday said, opening the elevator door on the opposite side of the penthouse.

Realizing what the other had just said, Loki felt his heart stutter with fear. The reasons for Anthony being on the floor could be a whole of terrible reasons. He didn’t even bother getting in the elevator, teleporting directly into the common room instead. He was facing the couch. He whipped around with barely concealed fear in his eyes. “Anthony, are you-”

The man was laying on the ground as Friday said, but he didn’t seem to be in pain. The goblet he had gifted the man months ago was sitting on his chest and he had one leg crossed over the other as he stared blankly up at the ceiling. The hand not balancing on his cup was pinching the bridge of his nose as the man sighed deeply.

“Lokkkkkkiiiii.” The man whined.

And his fears were now replaced with amusement. “You know, when Friday informed me you were on the floor, I expected the worst.” He said approaching the man.

Tony barely looked at him before tilting the cup towards his lips. “Well _worse_ is about to hit you. Brace yourself.”

“For?” Loki asked with a raised brow.

An excited, high pitched wail was the only warning he got before something barreled into the back of his legs. He looked down and bright white eyes stared back at him. The mage watched as they quickly changed to green and before he knew what was happening, Glitch was practically scaling his tall body like a tree. The robot was a squirming ball of energy, not content to stop moving and observing and checking the god out from practically every angle. He allowed it, until one of the creature’s rounded feet jammed itself too close to his eye and he pulled him off to set on the ground. A mistake….

For Tony.

Loki watched it’s green eyes waver before going back to white. Glitch looked like he was about to start wailing, but instead he turned around and ran over to Tony.

And proceeded to throw himself at the man.

Brown eyes widened with fear at Glitch’s approach. “No! No, no, no- oof!” The robot threw it’s entire weight and landed on Tony’s stomach and the man yelped in pain. The action sent his goblet flying into the air. Loki, ever quick with his reflexes, flicked his hand and used his seidr to stop the goblet before it can come crashing down on the billionaire’s pained face. Tony winced as he tried to give him a smile. “Nice catch.” He moaned.

He nodded at Glitch. “You as well.” Loki walked up and took the cup in hand, the smell of liquor and sugar dancing up into his nostrils. “I’m guessing he’s been a handful.”

A wry smile. “_Handful_? He’s a _menace_. Why do you think all the other bots are big and clunky and _slow_. Cause if I made them like _this _one,” The man’s tone didn’t distract from the fact that he was patting Glitch’s head fondly. “I’d never get a moment of peace.”

“He’s young.”

“And so are _toddlers_. By far the worst years to deal with any living creature; human or otherwise.” He groaned. “The first couple days were good. It was like watching a deer learn to walk. Kept tripping over himself like a defective Bambi. And then he got the hang of it.” The man’s eyes narrowed. “And decided that he’s too good for just _walking._”

The god of mischief grinned. “Why walk when there’s so many other ways to move? I’m sure someone like _Ironman _would have to agree with that as he’s flying through the air.”

Chocolate eyes darted over to him. “You know I should hound you for child support, Rudolph. This is clearly your kid too and I demand restitution for my pain and suffering as a single parent.”

Something flashed over Loki’s face then. Had Tony not been studying it so intently, he might’ve missed it. Interesting. Maybe he would ask about it later. Right now, his entire focus was on the fact that the man was coming closer. It should’ve been illegal to look so regal while doing something as simple as sitting down. If so, then Loki would’ve been arrested several times over.

Tony would bail him out every time if it meant seeing him do it again.

Tony sat up which sent the robot tumbling into his lap. Glitch warbled lowly and squirmed around as he tried to untangle himself from his limbs. Only when he did that he looked up at Tony with a wide, toothless smile. Loki noticed it’s eyes were now a honey color. Tony sat the creature on its feet and gave it a light shove. The man grumbled something beneath his breath that he thought sounded like ‘don’t make me regret this’ before telling Glitch, “Go play.”

Loki wasn’t quite sure he knew what ‘play’ meant quite yet. The robot started racing around the room with an impressive speed and confidence that wasn’t present the last time he’d seen the creature. Glitch truly reminded him of a child. Except with one terrifying difference…

“Does he ever _tire_?”

The look Tony gave him was priceless. “Not unless he _wants_ to.” He looked at the goblet in the other man’s hand. “Gimme, gimme.” He made grabby hands at the cup.

“And what are we having today Anthony.” He asked handing it over to the man.

“A hurricane.” His monotone voice said. The inventor pointed at the robot across the room. “I was hoping drinking enough of these would give me an idea to cancel out _that_ one currently rampaging through my tower.”

Loki didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news. He knew storms. One couldn’t be the adoptive brother to the God of Thunder and not be well versed in the weather. Which is why he knew that two hurricanes didn’t cancel each other out. They gravitated to one another like magnets that couldn’t stay away from one another. If anything, the goblet in the man’s hand was a homing beacon to the little robot.

It was all metaphorical of course, but as Loki watched Glitch pick up the man’s Stark pad with uncontainable joy and start sprinting head on at Tony to tackle him, the god had to stop and wonder if he was on to something after all…


	9. I is for Irish Whiskey

Chapter 9 – I is for Irish Whiskey

Middle of June

Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist.

Nobody had ever received all those titles without earning them first and Tony Stark was no exception to that rule. He may have inherited money from being a Stark by default thanks to his family, but for Tony, that money was thought of as nothing but a starting bonus to eventually make it on his own. It was there to help in the beginning, but in the many years after, everything he had was created by his own hands.

His business.

His robots.

His suits.

They were his greatest works.

Works that didn’t fix themselves.

When his stocks started slipping, Tony and Pepper were in meetings and interviews and venues trying to bump them back up to their proper places.

When the bots started malfunctioning in ways that were out of the realms of intentional, Tony was quick to get out his tools and get to work fixing them back up to satisfactory levels of imperfect.

And when his suits almost drop him out of the skies during a villain fight, he was immediately down in the lab running every possible test with Friday to fix said problem.

Yes, Tony was a fix it man through and through.

Which was strange considering there was one thing he couldn’t seem- or maybe bother was a better word- to fix.

His bad habits.

There were many; some he knew were bad and some that he chose to ignore on purpose.

He drank too much.

He worked too hard.

He forgot to practice basic human upkeep.

But worst of all…

Tony, being the perfectionist he always tried to be, unfortunately had a bad habit of _combining _his bad habits.

And that is what Loki finds the man doing one sweltering night in June after yet another meeting with the advisors on Asgard.

The demigod greeted Friday upon entering the building, the A.I. no longer calling him an intruder now that he’s been in the tower several times before. When he didn’t see Tony in the penthouse, he glanced over at one of the computer’s cameras with a raised brow.

“Please tell me he’s at least upright.” Loki sighed.

“He’s at least upright.” Friday said. “Though he really shouldn’t be. He’s been working down in the lab nonstop. I’ve tried to stop him, but he used an override.”

Green eyes narrowed dangerously. “Define nonstop.”

“He hasn’t slept in over 74 hours.” Came the worried reply of Anthony’s helper.

The god was gone in an instance.

When he reappeared on the steps of the lab, the first thing he noticed was that there was no music playing. He remembered the other man telling him that he rarely did anything in his workshop without music, so that was a red flag in and of itself. Tony had his goggles on and a blowtorch in hand as he hammered away at a sheet of metal over at his work station. Loki descended the steps much louder than he usually would, hoping the sound would alert the man of his presence and cause him to turn around.

He didn’t.

Another red flag.

He quickened his pace. There were times that Tony would work without acknowledging Loki at all, but in those times, the man at least had the common courtesy to greet him. Perhaps not by his given name, but he had slowly begun to grow fond of the other man’s nicknames and unusual references. The names he was usually called by others weren’t nearly as nice. With that said, not hearing the man say anything to him- even when he was essentially breathing down the other’s perspiring neck- made something clench in his chest.

He didn’t like it.

And when Loki didn’t like something, he fixed it until he did.

Although…

“Anthony-”

The god of mischief never thought he’d be dodging an onslaught from a manic man with a blowtorch, yet here he was.

Immediately, he caught Anthony’s hand and extinguished the flames. The grip was harsh, but not enough to cause the other man pain. Green eyes flared with irritation by the unexpected assault. “_Anthony_.” He ended up growling.

Tony’s head shot up and it was clear that the man was slowly processing what was happening. A weak smile stretched across chapped lips. “Dasher! When did you get here!”

Loki didn’t share his smile. Couldn’t, upon looking at the man’s face.

He was haggard. It was the only way that Loki could describe the man before him. Heavy bags laid beneath his eyes; dark and sickly against the usually flawless complexion of the billionaire. The beard he sported had grown out and was scraggly and course instead of the trimmed and soft looking hair Loki had slowly become fond of looking at. The man’s lips were chapped, and though he didn’t want to say that he spent an unusually long time coming to know the subtle changes in Anthony’s lips- it was clear to the god that the man wasn’t drinking or eating properly.

The last thing that Loki took note of was surprisingly the one thing out of the man’s appearance that made him the angriest.

His eyes.

Bloodshot and tired, Tony’s eyes were looking through him with a glassy unfamiliarity that turned his stomach sour with rage. The man was a shade of his former self, falling apart at the seams in the name of science.

This wouldn’t do.

Not if he had anything to say about it.

“You haven’t been sleeping.” He stated coldly.

Tony had the audacity to huff. “No. But I have coffee, so its fine.” He turned to a half filled mug sitting on his workstation. Loki’s eyes caught how wobbly the other’s hands were as he reached for it and presented it before him. “Want some? It’s just coffee to keep me up until I’m done fixing this suit.”

Loki took the mug. He knew of coffee. Midgardians were fixated with it. In his time on Midgard, he’d seen the humans alter and dress their coffee in a variety of different ways. They covered them with sugar and creams and flavors of all different natures- guzzling down the drink like it was nectar straight from the fountain of youth. He thought that Asgardians and their ales were bad. Their need for it was far outdone for the Midgardians worship of coffee.

He didn’t know why he didn’t think someone like Anthony wouldn’t be the same.

When the man wasn’t drinking alcohol, Loki usually smelt the scent of coffee on the other’s breath. Most time it smelt bitter and stale, but there were rare occasions when he smelled of sweet chocolate and baked pastries. He’d seen empty pots around the penthouse in passing. Had seen two machines for it in the kitchen.

Even from where he was _standing_, Loki could clearly see a half empty pot sitting across the room on the eating station against the wall.

The man had it _everywhere _in the tower.

He looked down at the mug.

His curiosity was peaked as he had never tasted coffee before. Apart of him knew that he had no true reason to try it after all. He didn’t tire like Midgardians did, nor did he feel the need to try and keep awake if his body was too weary to function. Sometimes he couldn’t fathom why the Midgardians insisted on destroying their already frail bodies to stay awake a few hours more, but upon remembering their minuscule lifespans, he started to understand.

And coming to know Anthony more, he realized why he was addicted to coffee too. Every second was precious to him. Every day awake was another day of progress. Unlike the gods who were slow and patient with the knowledge they could live for centuries, Midgardians like Anthony needed to always be moving. To be creating.

To be _living_.

Midgardians fascinated Loki for that reason alone and the man was grateful that the invasion upon their planet had failed. It’d have been a shame to wipe out such a chaotic race of individuals. Not when he knew so little about them. Not when he had yet to taste of all the chaos and creativity they had to offer.

And who amongst their kind had those two things in leaps and bounds but his Anthony?

No one, he’d like to think.

It was why he found himself so drawn to him. Why he stuck around him so much more than any other Midgardian. Rogers, the widow, Barton- the other Avengers didn’t entice him in the least. They were too…_predictable. _The way they viewed the world was too narrow, too rigid for someone like him.

Judging from the empty tower- they were also too narrow and rigid for Anthony as well.

That was fine.

He wasn’t into sharing anyways. Loki was greedy. If no one else wanted to deal with the chaotic mess that was Anthony Stark; then their loss was his gain. It was too early to say what he truly felt for the man now, but the one thing the god did know, was that he wanted everything Anthony had to offer. Whether it was his silly nicknames or the strange tasting drinks he seemed to catch the man indulging in every now and again; Loki wanted it all.

Knowledge was power, and the long haired man was sure that the more he knew about Anthony, the strong their bond would soon become.

That is why, with an eagerness he hoped didn’t show on his face, he downed the cup of coffee the inventor had been nursing upon his entrance. He wanted to know what was his _taste_. He wanted to know what flavor kept Anthony Stark ticking for three days straight, sacrificing health and appearance in the name of progress. What was the sensation that danced upon that tongue as the man before him made awe inspiring inventions that were sure to-

There was alcohol in the coffee.

Ever so slowly, he looked down at the shorter man.

And wasted no in time in throwing his coffee mug across the room and throwing _Anthony_ over his shoulder.

All tiredness drained from his face.

“Wha! Ah! Hey, grabby hands McGee, put me down!” Tony yelped upon being dangled over the man’s shoulders. He tried pushing up off the man’s back to wiggle free, but Loki’s grip was unyielding. Tony slumped forwards, no longer having the strength to push away. That didn’t stop him from yanking Loki’s hair as hard as he could. “Loki!”

He would cut the recording. Wipe all his bots memories of the evening. Scrub his brain raw with a toilet brush if it meant no one would remember the squeak he let out when the god carrying him grabbed ahold of the thigh meat right below his ass.

And proceeded to _keep _it there.

“Be silent _dunga!_” He heard Loki hiss. Tony didn’t understand what the last word meant, but he guessed it didn’t translate to anything nice. For a while he listened as the man cursed him beneath his breath, the man’s speech dipping in and out of English and whatever it was Thor’s people spoke up in Neverland. He only raised it to be heard once they got to the elevator. “Must you make things difficult for me at every turn! Fool! What in Odin’s name compelled you to put alcohol in your coffee!”

Loki couldn’t see the confusion on Tony’s face. “There was? Tasted like coffee to me.” He murmured tiredly. “Eh, Irish Whiskey is basically all coffee. Close enough.”

The grip on his thigh tightened and he couldn’t help the squirming that followed.

“Because you’ve tired yourself beyond your already weak senses.” He stepped into the awaiting elevator and allowed Friday to shoot them up to the penthouse as he continued his tirade. “You neither saw nor heard me approach you earlier; your hits are weaker than a child’s; and you _clearly _didn’t smell your drink before you drank it. What made you think you could _taste _it?”

Tony didn’t have any comeback for that.

Mostly because despite the somewhat uncomfortable position on Loki’s shoulder, he _was _a bit tired and was quickly falling asleep. Perhaps it was because he liked the comforting whir of the elevator in his ears or the firm grip keeping him steadily in place, but right now, he was far more relaxed than he had been down in the lab. His eyes shut with a tired grumble and Tony went completely limp.

Loki felt the moment that Tony finally decided to crash. “Anthony?” He called to the other man. There was a weak poke in his ribs. “Fall asleep in your bed, not on me.”

“Comfy deer.” He felt the other mutter into his shoulder blade. There was a pull on his green cape. “Comfy deer has comfy pelts. Makes me sleepy.”

Loki snorted at the broken sentences even if he was still cross with the man. “I’m not wearing my pelts today Anthony.”

“Be cool if you did.” Tony sleepily said. Silence took over for a couple of floors before Tony said something again. One of his feet kicked into Loki’s ribs. “Lemme keep it.” He demanded.

“No.” They exited the elevator and into the low lights of the penthouse.

“Yes.” Tony whined, pulling lightly at the green cloak around Loki’s shoulders. “Get another.”

“This cloak was cut from the _iss kyrtill _of Kjallandi.” The prince said affronted. “It is not something you can just _get another _of.”

The foot dug into his ribs again. “Liar.” Tony pouted.

When Loki removed the man from his shoulder and placed him down upon his bed, he watched as the other rolled and turned away from him. Tony turned his back to the god and crossed his arms over his chest with a huff. Then flipped over to stick his tongue out at the man before returning to his pouting.

Loki stood there and waited.

And waited.

And….

“Boss is sleep now.” Friday chimed in after he stood there staring at Tony’s back for the last ten minutes.

He let it sink in for a second. Only when his mind caught up with what just happened did he finally react. By cursing Tony out beneath his breath in nearly every language he was fluent in due to the All-Speak.

The _nerve_ of him.

Loki had carried the man all the way up to his penthouse, being kicked and berated at, only to have the man throw a tantrum about his cloak and fall asleep on him. Just like that. He should wake him up for his insolence. His frustration at Anthony could only be matched by his amusement for the Midgardian warrior.

Loki wasn’t an idiot.

He knew that picking the man up as he had would cause the other to throw a fit. Watching the inventor wiggle and try and escape his grasp was a laugh he shared with no one but himself during the entire elevator ride. A ride that no one but he needed to know was completely unnecessary. He could’ve easily teleported both of them to the room and be done with it.

But then he’d had missed getting to hear the other’s flustered and panicked voice as he hauled him away on his shoulder like a piece of lumber. Would’ve missed the somehow endearing kicks the man had laid upon his ribs that had done no more but tickle him briefly from how weak they had been.

And most of all, he would’ve missed out on grabbing hold of that all too _tantalizing_ section of flesh lying just below the billionaire’s backside. Would’ve missed out on getting to feel it give beneath the power of his superior strength. It took all of his self control not to squeeze too hard and leave the man with excited bruises that would linger on him for many days to come.

The temptation almost took hold of him had he not realized how tired the man was.

Although he knew Anthony enjoyed his drink as much as Thor did, he didn’t think the man had done this on purpose. The man was simply that _tired_. Tired enough to almost pass out on his shoulder, taint his beloved coffee, _and_ create what was probably the most poorly constructed Ironman mask Loki had seen the man make til this day. He promised to return in the morning, if only to see the look on the other man’s face when he’d seen what his sleep deprivation and drinking had created. For now, he would leave him be. Anthony needed the rest and Loki wanted him to sleep as long as possible so that he returned to being the put together and quick witted man he had come to know.

He started to teleport away.

“Hot!” A voice moaned from the bed. “Friday, hot!”

‘Don’t. Don’t turn around.’ Loki’s mind begged.

A shame he was never one to listen to reason, even his own.

He would’ve never seen Anthony’s pouting and frustrated face as he jolted up in his bed; sweat and messy brown locks giving him an even more disheveled appearance. His eyes were still glassy with tiredness, but a sadness seem to accompany it as the man’s apparent uncomfortableness started to wake him up again.

Loki should’ve heeded the warning before he was graced with the image before him. Heeded it before he was rendered as utterly _useless_ as the still half sleep man sitting in the bed before him.

Perhaps then, he would still have his favorite, one of a kind, Jotun cloak.

Instead, because of his blunder, Loki left Tony’s penthouse with the image of the man sinking blissfully down into fabric of his cape; a content sigh leaving the man’s smiling lips as he drifted back to sleep.

The god returned to the palace with lighter shoulders, but it was nothing compared to the weight lifted from his heart at witnessing Anthony snuggling down into a piece of his battle armor.

Loki couldn’t wait to see him in it again.


	10. J is for Jell-O Shots

Chapter 10 – J is for Jell-O Shots

July

Tony was at a complete lose at what to do today.

He wasn’t bored or anything- the man had about a thousand things on his to do list that needed to get taken care of.

He just didn’t want to _move _to do them.

Moving caused heat and right now, New York was in the middle of the worst heatwave in years. The entire building was pumping out AC from every vent, but even that could only do so much. Anyone else in the tower would probably be fine all things considered.

Tony on the other hand wasn’t so lucky.

Even without the arc reactor in his chest, the man still suffered from the aftermath of its removal. Extremis made the others who used it spontaneously combust at an _aggreges_ temperature after all. Tony’s body may not have been at dangerously combustible levels like the others who had the virus, but his body temperature tended to run hotter than the average human at all times. He was essentially a furnace on feet. Thankfully, he wasn’t running anywhere _near_ the 3000o Celsius temperature unstable Extremis seemed to get to.

For that, he was grateful. With that being said…

He was on _fire._

If it wasn’t for the fact that Loki tended to pop in on him at random, Tony was mere seconds away from striping the last piece of clothing covering his body and going full commando. No fabric- no matter how soft or expensive- was welcome on his person at this point. He didn’t even want to touch the carpet since the plush strands still held far too much heat for his comfort.

Though he had developed a recent vendetta against all things clothing, there was _one _thing he didn’t mind having, and it was currently wrapped around his entire body like the wings of an angel.

“Or a god.” He corrected, playing with the gold initials he had discovered on the inside of the cloak he currently wore.

To say that Tony was surprised when he awoke with the cloak wrapped around his body a few weeks back would be an understatement. In all honestly, he remembered very little about that night. It was only when Friday replayed the tapes back that he realized what he had done. None of his A.I.s gave him peace that day. Something that wasn’t helped by the fact that he hadn’t taken it off for more than a few moments for the rest of that day.

And he had switched his usual comforter out for it as a whole.

Could anyone blame him though? The green cape was probably the most precious thing that he owned at this point. It clearly was no ordinary cloth. He discovered that during his testing. Tony’s curiosity of Loki’s cloak started when no matter how hot it got, the fabric never lost the feeling of cold it seemed to carry with it. He’d taken to throwing it in the dryer just to check and was ecstatic when it did nothing at all.

He tested its durability next. At first with a pair of scissors that he took to one of the bottom corners. In case it wasn’t as durable as he assumed to be, he didn’t want to ruin the god’s gift.

Even if Loki was _never _getting it back in the first place.

It didn’t cut.

He tried shears.

Nothing.

A blow torch.

_Unharmed_.

He didn’t let it get far from his reach after that.

Whether he was in the lab working on his suits, or snuggled comfortably down in his king sized bed, the cloak stayed wrapped around him like a second skin. That was especially true on days like today when the heat of his body and the heat outside his tower decided to work together and set his internal body temperatures to hellfire. 

That was how Loki found him when he showed up during the second day of the heatwave.

“Reindeer games I hope you brought snow with you.” Tony groaned when he saw the now familiar yellow glow and heard the man’s footsteps from the other side of the counter he was sitting behind. Said man sauntered around the counter, a strange look upon his face once he saw Tony’s position.

“You’re still wearing my cloak.” He stated.

“Well considering it’s the only thing keeping me from _literally_ catching on fire, there’s no way I’m taking it off.” Tony said. “If you couldn’t tell, someone turned the thermostat to volcano.”

The god chuckled and took a seat next to Tony on the floor. It was surprising how much the two of them found themselves in this position; like there was an unspoken rule that chairs were taboo and they were only allowed to sit on every other surface . He didn’t mind, and since Loki could’ve easily sat anywhere else that wasn’t his dirty kitchen floor, he guessed the green-eyed mage didn’t mind either.

“I did take notice that the city is especially hot today. It was all the Midgardians could talk about.” He informed the man sat next to him.

Tony snorted, adjusting the cloak so that the fabric touched as close to the back of his neck as humanely possible. “Yeah, unlike you reindeer games, our kind doesn’t do well in the heat. Me especially.” He said the last part a bit quieter.

Loki gave him a sly smile. “Considering my lineage, it should come as no surprise.”

Tony scowled at the taller man, an underwhelming attempt at intimidation considering he looked more like a petulant child due to his self-swaddling beneath Loki’s cloak. If Loki was anything else but a prince, he was sure he would’ve allowed the amused snort fall from his pink lips.

“Please, continue to rub it in. Next time I’ll take more than your magic space cloak when it gets hot like this.” He pouted.

“Is that a promise?” Came Loki’s immediate response.

And that was how Tony Stark- one the world’s most charismatic speakers- found himself tripping over his tongue.

“Euhnoyeah?”

Neither knew which one was more confused.

That was about the time Tony decided he needed to salvage the situation somehow. His first instinct was to get up, but wrapped in his cloak made it hard to maneuver. So he opened it. Completely forgetful of his near nudity hidden beneath. He watched as Loki’s eyes took notice immediately; raking down Tony’s scarred chest and modest pectorals with greedy eyes. The genius caught himself stuck between preening at the attention and wanting to desperately run away from it.

Luckily, his trouble child decided to save his poor father.

An excited robotic squeal came barreling around the corner. Both men looked to their left to find Glitch sprinting their way; little arms held high above his head with a ringing egg timer held between his little fingers. Glitch made it to Tony and launched himself at the man. Having this happen on a regular basis now, Tony caught the squirmy bot easily and held him at arms length. He watched his eyes bleed to honey.

“Done!” Glitch squealed.

Loki looked surprised. “He’s learned to speak.”

Tony sighed. “Yeah, but not full sentences. Mostly names and short words. Friday and I’ve been teaching him when we can. Not that he hasn’t figured stuff out on his own.”

Glitch wiggled out of Tony’s hold and trotted the few feet over to Loki. He showed him the egg timer with pride and eyes shifting to a luminescent green. “Rudolph! Done!”

Tony fell over with laughter at the affronted look on Loki’s face. And even when the god gave him a look that was colder than the cloak pooled around his waist, he didn’t stop with his laughter.

Glitch didn’t read the room. Probably couldn’t at this stage in his development and so Loki didn’t lash out at the creature for his antics. He should’ve known that Anthony would end up teaching the creature to act more and more like himself.

If the thought of that actually sounded endearing somehow, then no one needed to know that but him.

He reached his hand out and took the egg timer from Glitch, looking at Tony with a raised brow as if to ask him what the device was for. He got an answer.

“You’re just in time in time for shots my frosty friend.” Tony got up and headed over to the fridge. The man rummaged around for a bit before turning around with a tray lined with colorful cups. The inventor kicked the door closed with his feet and walked back over to the other two. Glitch was jumping up and down, little hands making a grabbing motion for Tony to hand him the tray, which he absolutely refused to do. “Oh _no_. Did you already forget about the chaos you caused earlier? I’m not falling for grabby hands. Scoot, tiny menace.”

“What happened earlier?” Loki asked.

“Well, while I was making _these_,” He placed the tray on the floor between them before returning to his earlier spot. “_This_ one decided the wanted to help. And by help, I mean destroy my cabinets and cover his older brother in jell-o.”

Although Glitch was being reprimanded, the robot didn’t seem to mind- too focused on a particular group of cups situated closest to Loki. His gaze was darting back and forth between Tony and the tray, an unheard question upon his metal lips which caused Tony to sigh with a small smile tugging at the corner of his own. “Go ahead.”

Loki watched as Glitch squealed with delight and plopped down to their right. Little hands carefully picked up one of the cups and- much to Loki’s surprise- proceeded to turn said cup upside down onto the tray. He waited for Tony to yell at the creature for it’s messy behavior, but then the overturned cup was lifted and the yellow liquid remained in a perfect cylinder shape. Glitch was delighted, poking the liquid and becoming overjoyed when it wiggled and bounced with every movement. He looked up at Tony happily who smiled in turn.

“Are you happy now?” Tony asked, picking up a cup of yellow jell-o and pouring it out onto his palm. Shaking his hand to watch it wiggle, he grabbed a green one and held it out to Loki. “Here, try it.”

Loki took the cup with caution. “What is it?” He asked.

“A jell-o shot.” Came Tony’s only explanation before sticking his lips to the side of his yellow shot and sucking it into his mouth. “They’re good during the summer when it gets hot like this.” He said, picking up a red one next.

Loki glanced down at his own. Glitch and Anthony stared at him with eagerness, waiting for him to follow their lead. He sighed, but that did nothing to stop him from tipping the cup into his palm as well. He watched the pile jiggle about innocently like the slimes he used to observe in the water pools of Alfheim. It seemed harmless enough. He placed his lips to it just as he’d seen Anthony do and inhaled.

Two things hit him at once.

The first was the pleasant sweetness of the ‘jell-o’ dancing upon his taste buds.

The second was the unexpected raw _burn_ of whatever alcohol Anthony had tainted it with.

He started coughing and it sent Tony into a fit of laughter.

“I _can’t_! Your face!” He laughed, throwing his head back as Loki struggled to contain his usual regal composure. Glitch joined in, but Tony was sure that he was laughing because Tony was and not because of Loki and his scrunched up expression. 

“That was pleasant for all of a _moment_ Anthony. Must you make your Midgardian drinks taste so foul?” He asked the man.

“Aw, come on Lokes, it’s not that bad. Besides, the first one always tastes worse. Or maybe lime isn’t your flavor. Here, try lemon.” He passed the man another shot, switching his own out for the lime one he was going to give to Loki had he enjoyed the first.

Loki took the inventor’s word for it and drank the yellow shot as he did the first…

“_Anthony_!”

Tony fell over, laughter spilling from his mouth like a faucet. He loved this. Showing Loki new things like this just to see how he would react. It was a pastime that he never thought he would enjoy, but now that he had it, it was quickly becoming an addiction. The god in front of him has lived through Tony’s lifespan almost a hundred times over. You would think that he had experienced it all. Tony was privileged- of that he couldn’t deny- and as such, has seen far more than what the average human would get to experience in their lifetime. And as an Avenger, he saw even more than those who grew up with riches like he did.

After all, how many humans could say they sat on their kitchen floor, half naked, sharing jell-o shots with a royal god from outer space while wearing their magic ice cloak taken from another realm?

One person.

Tony Stark.

That thought made something flip in the pit of his belly. Something that he knew had nothing to do with the drinking. His eyes drifted over to Loki who was staring back at him with something unknown simmering away beneath his façade of calm.

The flip turned into barrel rolls and Tony knocked back another shot without even looking.

Nope, the feeling remained. Definitely wasn’t the shots.

After that, their time melted into their usual meetings. Tony was now laying on his back, the cloak spread out beneath him. Although his scarred chest was exposed, he didn’t feel uncomfortable with Loki seeing it. There were occasional glances, but that could’ve meant anything. The two of them just talked as they always did. Loki went on his tangents about his brother, highlighting the good and bad of his attempts at ruling with a strange concoction of disdain and amusement in his voice. Tony talked about his latest improvements to the tower and the antics Glitch had gotten up to. They bantered and shared laughs, so engrossed in their conversations that the unbearable heat of the day was almost completely forgotten by Tony…

_Almost_.

Had it not been for a single _incident_\- a dabble in mischievous revenge enacted by Loki moments before he returned to Asgard- then Tony would’ve forgotten all about the heat surrounding his tower.

The sun was beginning to set. Though the fire of the day seemed to burn down a bit, it was still hot inside the tower. The conversation had lulled into a cozy silence between them until Loki gave an exasperated sigh and smiled tiredly over at Tony.

“I do believe it’s time I depart. There’s to be another council meeting in the morning and it will surely drain me of every drop of sanity I have gained here today.” Came his dry reply.

Drowsy, but happy, Tony waved him off. “You can’t fool me. You’re looking forward to causing trouble tomorrow.”

The smirk Loki gave him said it all. “I know not what you mean.” Sounding as bout as innocent as a fox.

Tony snorted. “Yeah right. Well, I won’t hold you here. Shame you didn’t like the jell-o shots. I’ll try different flavors next time.”

Something flickered in Loki’s eyes, but it was so quick that Tony missed it completely. “I haven’t tasted that red one.” He said nonchalantly, pointing at the tray sitting above Tony’s head.

The man craned his neck to look up. Sure enough, there were several shots left untouched by either man. Tony hadn’t even noticed. He was too distracted by Loki. “Huh, you’re right. Here then, one last one for the road.”

In hindsight, the whole situation that followed could’ve been avoided had Glitch decided not to live up to his name in that very moment. For as Tony awkwardly grabbed the cup from over his head, Glitch- who up until now had been in sleep mode- decided to pop awake with a high pitched squeak. Startled, Tony dropped the cup and could only lay there dumbfounded as the now melted liquid splattered onto his chest. Guilty for what he’d done, Glitch jumped up and ran in a circle before darting away- no doubt looking for something to clean Tony up with.

He wouldn’t be surprised if he came back with one of Tony’s shirts.

“Great.” He groaned. “This’ll be fun to clean up. Sorry about that Lokes. This was the last one. I’ll make you another next time you drop by.” Tony said, closing his eyes as he laid their waiting for Glitch’s return.

Silence. And then…

“There’ll be no need. _This_ one will do just fine.” Loki darkened voice whispered.

Tony’s eyes popped open. “Uh, what?”

He couldn’t stop the god even if he wanted to.

One moment Loki was sitting up across from him, the next, he was leaning directly over Tony’s prone body; a shit eating grin pulled across those perfect lips.

“I endeavor to not be a wasteful being Anthony. Especially when you so _graciously_ offer me something new to _taste_.”

The suave way the god said that set Tony’s nerve endings ablaze. He was surprised that the jell-o pooled pathetically between the dips of his abs hadn’t started to boil from the heat of his blush.

Not that it could given what the man above him decided to do next.

So focused on Loki’s smug expression, Tony never saw the man’s hand move towards his chest. He did _feel_ it though. Loki’s finger touched the puddle of jell-o and the lukewarm liquid snapped back into a jiggly solid, frozen with his Jotun magic. Tony hissed, back arching off the cloak beneath him from the shocking cold sliding over his pectorals. It was now Loki’s turn to laugh and Tony suddenly regretted giving the other man shit earlier. It was coming back to bite him.

And yet, not a single tooth scratched his flesh when Loki’s mouth descended down upon him.

The cold was washed away by a sweet inferno as Loki brought his lips directly down onto the jell-o and sucked it oh so skillfully off of Tony’s chest. Tony could feel the grin on the gods face even before the man’s head popped up to look at him. Red liquid sat at the corner of the mage’s lips and a wicked tongue darted out to swipe it away with delight. Loki was all teeth and mischief when he next spoke.

“Hmm, just as I thought,” The sharpness of his smile could cut through any of Tony’s Ironman suits. “This one tastes the best after all. Make sure to have _more_ ready for me next time _Anthony._ Until then.” Loki purred before disappearing in a shower of magic, his laughter ringing in Tony’s ears long after the man was gone.

The kitchen was quiet for an overly long time.

Tony was still processing what just happened. He may be clean now, but the lingering feeling on his chest felt like absolute _filth_.

There was no misinterpreting anything here. He was sure that he could roll back Friday’s cameras and they would all show him that what just happened wasn’t a figment of his imagination.

Or a clip from his most recent dreams.

Tony just lied there, not even acknowledging a confused Glitch who couldn’t process why he no longer had a mess to clean up. For the first time in forever, he was…_flustered_, a word he didn’t think he would ever say about himself _ever_.

When was the last time he’d felt like this?

Not with Pepper, that was for sure. Unlike the rest of his life, his relationship with Pepper was as vanilla as they come. And he was fine with that. She was his rock, his stability in life while everything else was a crazy, exploding mess. She never left him flustered. Calm seemed more appropriate if he was being honest.

Maybe one of his flings? The life of a playboy was certainly an exciting one. Whether with the dozens of woman or the very few men in his life, Tony found his one night stands to be fun.

_Fun_…but forgettable. That wasn’t really a surprise seeing as he never expecting much from them but the obvious. Rarely did anyone leave an impression and even rarer did Tony let them get close enough to be anything more in his life. Not fluster material either.

So where did that leave Loki?

He wasn’t a stable rock like Pepper. The god came and went as he pleased, something Tony liked to do himself. One day he was there and the next he wasn’t. Loki was a free spirit and seemed to like that Tony was as well. That being said, he also wasn’t afraid to call Tony on his bullshit. Loki wasn’t stable like _Pepper_, but he was stable in a way that Tony found he resonated with even better. The god didn’t keep Tony _calm_, but the inventor knew deep in his heart that he never wanted calm to begin with.

As for being like his many flings, Tony found that he couldn’t lump the man in with them either. For one, he wanted not only Loki’s company, but wanted to _keep _it as well. They always had things to talk about and share. Talking to the god of mischief was neither boring nor pointless. The things he’d seen and knew far outweighed what Tony did. Perhaps he wasn’t as versed in the more technical and inventor side of things, but Loki was an inventor in his own way too. The spells he wove were a work of art in and of themselves. His ability to speak and make people listen- either through logic or blatant manipulation- wasn’t nothing to scoff at. Not to mention that he found the other could go toe to toe with him with his banter. Tony found himself impressed with almost everything the man did. Enemies they may have been, but there was no way that they could call themselves that now. Not when he came to know the other as he did now.

Knew that though he would never be a king, he had all the makings to be one.

Knew that despite the coldness he showed, there was still warmth in his heart for his mother.

Knew that though they both resented their fathers, they could still make something worthwhile come from their A+ parenting.

Knew that he could show the other man his most vulnerable spot and not feel uncomfortable about it like he did with someone he once was ready to _marry_.

The brazen show of intimacy from Loki today didn’t open his eyes to anything new. He just decided to stop turning away from what was right there in front of his face.

He liked the god of mischief, and if today was any indication, it wasn’t a one-sided thing.

It was easy to admit that now since he was saying it inside his head. But what he wanted to do about it now in the _real_ world, well…

“Boss, my sensors seem to be malfunctioning.” Friday called.

Tony broke from his thoughts with a frown “What’s going on baby-girl?”

“My sensors show that your body temperature is elevated, but Loki has already left the premises. Lately it only gets this high in his presence. Perhaps I should run a diagnostics…” Her mechanical voice trailed off.

“Wha- no- huh?! Friday!” Tony sputtered, sitting up and causing Glitch to skitter away with one of his Metallica shirts in tow.

“Elevated temperatures. Blushing. Confused language. Indeed I am correct. Welcome back Mr-”

“Calling M.I.T. Robotics Donations department.” Tony yelled.

“The RD department closed ten minutes ago. Please try again later.” Friday replied.

A shout rang out through the kitchen and Tony bundled himself back into his cloak, covering himself head to toe so as to hide his flushed skin away from the ever watchful eyes of his A.I.

He would remain there for the rest of the evening, rubbing absentmindedly at his chest and wondering how many flavors of jell-o he could find by the next time Loki dropped by for a visit…


	11. K is for Kamikaze?

Chapter 11 – K is for Kamikaze (And Keep Sober)

Late July

As it would turn out, there would be no jell-o shots the next time Loki came to visit.

Mostly because the next time Loki showed up, it wasn’t to share a drink with the other man, but to berate him on what had occurred earlier that morning…

* * *

_Dr. Doom had come out of his little hidey hole for the first time in almost a year to truly mess up Tony’s peaceful afternoon. _

_Elbow deep in muck and grease, a ping from Friday alerted him of a villain attack._

_“Boss, Dr. Doom has unleashed another robot a few blocks from the tower and it’s destroying nearby buildings. Authorities are present, but they can’t hold it off for much long.” _

_Tony rolled away from his workbench. “Heard you loud and clear Fri. Who’s going on our date today?”_

_The rotating of his armory sounded from below and Tony put his under armor on as the Mark XL-otherwise known as his Shotgun armor- was presented to him. He wasted no time suiting up, jetting out of the tower and towards the commotion with haste._

_He soon realized why Friday chose this particular armor._

_Doom’s robot was a big boy, taller than ten of him combined and packing some serious artillery on top of it. The robot was moving about mechanically and without much purpose other than to destroy. No doubt it was a rudimentary A.I. created by the madman to do his dirty work while he stayed safe and sound in his basement of evil. Tony had yet to have a battle with Doom where the man was _actually _there. Annoying, since he wanted nothing more than to arrest the man and punch him square in the face for creating such shameless pieces of technology. That being said, with no one piloting the thing, Tony was free to turn it to scrap metal without a care in the world. _

_Like it would be that easy. _

_Tony flew in at top speed and slammed directly into the green monstrosity. It toppled over, crushing a few empty cars but thankfully no civilians were in the way. He’d have to commend the officers in the inevitable interview about their good work of evacuating._

_“Makes my job easier.” He said to himself, dodging out of the way when the robot got back to it’s feet and took a swing at him._

_Much to his delight, Doom was a quantity over quality kind of villain. The type to try and defeat you with numbers rather than strategy. It was why, despite the machine’s size, it was slow as hell. Compared to Tony who could not only hit hard, but was fast as well, it stood no chance. When the heavy hands swung his way, Tony would dart below or above and start taking pot shots at the joints. It was like an elephant trying to swat at a gnat. _

_A gnat carrying deadly repulsors capable of knocking off clunky mechanical limbs. _

_Before long, Tony found himself laughing as the pathetic piece of junk was left teetering on a single leg and not a arm to speak of. It was a ridiculous sight and though the man knew he was in the middle of a fight right now, he couldn’t help taunting the villain all the same._

_You would think after the Mandarin incident he would learn not to antagonize psychopaths. _

_He didn’t. _

_“Do you take me as a fool to be laughed at Stark! A mockery in the eyes of the great Ironman!” Doom’s voice sounded from the robots speakers. _

_“You’re the one calling me great Doom and Gloom. Not my fault for laughing cause your inventions are anything but.” He shrugged. _

_Doom laughed. “Funny you should say that Stark, seeing as I’ve decided to take a page out of _your_ book when it comes to failed creations. I suppose I have the dearly departed Killian to thank for this one.” _

_That’s around the time the timer started. _

_Tony sprung into action. _

_He grabbed the robots one remaining leg and put all his firepower into the thrusters. Without seeing a timer, he had no idea how much time he had to get away. He just knew he had to be anywhere but in the middle of the city. At first tony thought of throwing the thing into the sky and letting it explode in the safety of the sky. _

_Too dangerous. The robot was big and who knew how big the incoming explosion would be. The massive chunks of metal could shower down on the civilians or even destroy the nearby buildings. No. He couldn’t detonate it above. Which left him one option. _

_“Fri, Mach speed.” He told the A.I. _

_“But Boss-”_

_“Do it! I’ll be fine, but I can’t say the same for everyone else if I don’t get this in the ocean like yesterday!” He yelled. _

_Tony felt his stomach rattle about his insides as he and his dangerous package went careering towards the sea. When he was over it, Tony dived. Any other person would’ve dropped the robot and booked it. He couldn’t do that. What if the thing didn’t sink like he knew it should? Shotgun could survive underwater. He would drag it further down and then fly away before he got caught in the blast. _

_They struck the water. _

_Down and down, Tony drug the hunk of metal until he could no long see the light of the sun above. When he felt he was deep enough, he let go and turned around. _

_“Alright Friday, let’s head back and-”_

_“Time’s up Stark.” Doom’s distorted voice came from below him. A panel on the machine’s chest popped open, revealing the countdown timer. _

_He watched as the timer moved to double time. _

_Tony couldn’t get away fast enough. _

_It exploded._

_While not directly in the blast zone, Tony got hit by it._

Hard.

_The force combined with his repulsors blasted him upwards and out onto dry land. The man cried out in pain as he fell on his dislocated shoulder with a nasty slam. Warmth dripped into his eye and he had to close it to stop the blood from blinding him. _

_“Boss!” Friday called out. She sounded worried and Tony was both hurt and proud of that fact._

_“I’m alright. A little banged up, but alive. Get me back to the tower so I can get patched up. Good job Friday.” He told her. _

_Tony was well aware that the A.I. wanted to do anything else but that, however, no one knew the stubbornness of Tony Stark better than her. That being said, Friday wasn’t going to let the man fly home by himself. Instead, a truck used to carry the legionnaire suits pulled up. Two of the machines waltzed out and picked Tony up with carefulness and speed to load him inside. Friday guided him home and up into the tower as careful as she could while controlling other robots. _

_Upon entering the lab, he was set upon by four worried robots and one irate A.I. While Butterfinger, You, and Dum-E could do nothing more but beep at him angrily, Friday and Glitch made up for it in their stead. The youngest chirped at him angrily, poking at his leg with all the ferocity of a toothless puppy. Friday on the other hand was relentless. Still controlling one of the legion, Tony regretted his dangerous actions from earlier when his A.I. used his own creation to pop his shoulder back into place. His other wounds were cleaned with clinical roughness and the whole time, Tony wished he hadn’t let his little girl grow up so fast. She was becoming a menace. _

_He’d never been prouder. _

_Wrapped, wounded, and rightfully worn out, Tony returned to his bedroom. Siting on his bed, the man sat back with a sigh. He’ll get a bit of shut eye before he started taking care of all the legal and financial ramifications from the earlier battle. _

_At least that was the plan until Loki showed up…_

* * *

When Loki entered the penthouse, he laid into Tony on sight.

“I have never known a fool with such reckless need for self-sacrifice since my soft-headed brother. _Imbecile_! If I had a piece of gold for every ounce of foolishness in that head of yours, I could buy Asgard ten times over!” The man yelled as he rounded on Tony’s side of the bed.

Tony opened his mouth to speak, but Loki stopped him. “_Don’t_ speak. I’m sure the next words to leave your mouth will no doubt spiral my rage. I will ask you questions and you will answer them and nothing else. Am I clear?”

“Yes?” Tony said barely containing his laughter.

“Good. Firstly, who attacked?”

“Doom.”

The god sucked his teeth in irritation. “I see. Are you injured past the obvious?”

Tony smiled. “Aw, did you come to check on me~ ouch! Hey _asshole_, I’m hurt here!” The man yelped when the god flicked his forehead right on the band-aid covering his brow.

“Yes, and I wonder if your brain was bruised as a result. Otherwise why else would you forget what I said earlier.” Loki replied. “Since you can’t help such responsibilities of speaking, one word answers only.”

“Fine.” Tony said. “Continue.”

Loki ignored the snark and proceeded to bombard the man with twenty questions. Before long, Tony got bored and picked up his tablet to secretly send a message to Glitch down in the lab. It’s why he missed the man’s final question and had to ask him to repeat it.

“I asked what compelled you to blow yourself up with the robot instead of detonating it in the sky?” Loki said once more.

Tony wondered how he could answer while not breaking the one word rule. He knew how to of course, but he doubted the other man would understand. Somehow, that made him want to do it anyways, if only to cause the god more trouble when he would have to inevitably explain everything in bits and pieces.

“Kamikaze.” He answered.

“I beg your pardon? Is that supposed to mean something to me?” Loki demanded with a raised brow.

Tony smirked and was fully prepared to start explaining in single word answers, but Friday decided to interfere before he got the chance.

“The definition was coined during WWII. Essentially it’s an aircraft with explosives deliberately crashing into a target; destroying them by suicide.” She chimed in.

Tony felt the temperature drop.

“_Thank_ _you,_ Friday.” He didn’t sound thankful in the least with the way the man was talking through his gritted teeth. “Stark. Explain. _Now_.”

Oh how tempting was it to tease the man for his ironic one word responses. Very. But despite popular belief, Tony knew when to be serious. Loki seemed _genuinely _angry at him. And that did something to him that had all the humor he’d been building up until now disappearing in a puff of smoke.

“It was the only way. There was no other safe place to detonate it without civilians getting hurt. And despite what I may have eluded to, it wasn’t a suicide mission. Doom was playing dirty and sped up the countdown clock.” He said.

“Doom is a _villain_. An egotistical one seeing as no self-respecting one would even _give _you a countdown to begin with.” Chided the god.

“I know some who would.” Tony said, looking at Loki.

“Do not mistake my mischief for villainous idiocrasy. If I wanted you _gone_, make no mistake, the bomb would detonate long before you knew there _was_ a bomb.” The man said darkly.

It was a sinister statement. One that should’ve put any self-respecting hero on edge. Not Tony though. It only made the inventor smile all the harder. “Careful Lokes; one might think you _care_ about me with that kind of talk.”

“There’s nothing to _think_ about. I wouldn’t be sitting here berating you on your _ignorance_ for anything less.” The man said calmly.

Tony’s eyes snapped to Loki’s vibrant green ones and he found his mouth unexpectedly dry. So he did what he did best and decided to flounder for an escape. He pressed the button on his tablet.

“Glitch, where are you with that drink?” He asked.

“Anthony.” Loki started.

Glitch came bounding into the room, the chalice Loki gave him long ago held carefully between shaky hands. He was smiling brightly at the two men on the bed. He approached, completely unaware of the dangerous item held between his hands. He held it out to his owner, only for the cup to be snatched up by Loki with delicate hands. He looked over at Stark.

“If there is so much as a _hint_ of your Midgardian poison in this chalice, I will set your taste buds ablaze with every foulness I can _fathom_ throughout all the nine realms.” There was no emotion in his voice as he said it.

In this moment, Tony knew true fear. Looking down at Glitch’s smiling proud face only made his heart sink even further. He was screwed. The goal was to have something to take the edge off the pain he could still feel throbbing away in his bones. He couldn’t get any painkillers for a few more hours. Just one drink and by the time his meds were ready, the alcohol would’ve been out of his system.

Simple.

The man hadn’t factored in Loki not being cool with that.

He wasn’t a man of idle threats either. Tony may have no idea what the other’s threat would do to him, but he knew he wanted no part in it regardless. He was watching the other lift the cup to his lips in slow motion. He had to knock it out of Loki’s hand. It would be the only thing that could save him now. He had to-

Too late.

The chalice touched his lips and he drank it.

Silence.

The god turned to him and Tony felt himself sweating from every pour in his body. He was done for. He could play this off though. There was no way it could get any worse.

“What is this called?” The man asked.

‘Fuck.’ Tony thought to himself.

Who knew such an innocent question could put him on edge like this. He couldn’t answer. Not with his precious taste buds on the line. If Loki found out that he had commissioned his youngest to make a Kamikaze cocktail, he might just get thrown out of the window again. Definitely wasn’t in good taste considering what he’d just done earlier. Maybe if he didn’t say anything he could-

“Boss was feeling a bit thirsty earlier and requested Glitch bring him a drink. It’s called-,” Friday spoke up in his silence.

Tony’s eyes widened in disbelief at such a blatant betrayal by his most trusted companion. ‘I am going to donate-‘

“…Keep Sober. A virgin cocktail. No alcohol. Boss _knows_ not to drink when he is injured. Is it to your liking?”

‘-her all the best parts in the lab! Friday, you saint!’ He cried to himself as his stomach decided to remove itself from his throat.

Sure enough, Loki’s face was not screwed up in anger, but in quiet surprise. “It’s pleasing. I’m just surprised that Anthony is capable of making rational decisions when he’s injured. Good.” He handed Tony the chalice.

The man took a sip, relief flooding his system and wetting his dry mouth when he tasted the familiar soft zing of his favorite teenage drink.

Keep Sober kept him just that for a good chunk of his younger years. During a time in his life where the burn of alcohol was too unpleasant to bear and the thought of jail for underage drinking was more of a hassle than anything else, it was the first drink he turned to. It helped that Jarvis- the real one he grew up with- liked to make them for him on his birthday and during his father’s many galas at the family mansion. It brought back fond memories, and he was actually pretty glad that his original drink had been swapped out for this one. Without meaning to, he smiled into his cup.

“Enjoying your drink Anthony?” Loki asked.

He looked up with a smile. “Yeah. Nice and alcohol free. Just what the doctor ordered.”

Loki returned his happy expression. “Good.” The man reached over and picked up the man’s tablet. “Because had Friday sent poor Glitch with what you _actually _asked for, I would’ve had to make good on my earlier promise.”

Tony spat his drink onto the bed.

Loki flicked on the tablet. “Smart to send a quiet message. But it defeats the point when I can _see_ you send it.”

Tony- in his ignorance- had forgotten that all his tablets were holograms.

_Transparent _holograms.

Loki had seen everything he did whilst he sat answering the other man’s many questions.

The message for Glitch to mix his drink.

The venue where Pepper was going to hold her bachelorette party.

A book on Norse mythology with a certain god of mischief highlighted at the top of the page…

“Wow, _what_, that’s crazy. Look at the time, I’m supposed to go pick up my meds now. You should probably get going, it’s going to be pretty boring and all. Yep. Friday, have Happy bring the car around.” He said in rapid succession.

“Your meds are being delivered by the postal service. Glitch will bring them upstairs. Happy is visiting family. I’ve taken care of everything. You just lay there and rest.” Friday said with just a taste of sarcasm in her voice.

“Calling M.I.T Robotics Donation department.” He murmured harshly into his watch.

“Your call has been forwarded to nowhere.”

It was Loki’s turn to laugh. “Oh I’m quite fond of your Friday, Anthony.”

“Thank you. We are _all _fond of you as well.” Friday somehow said happily.

“That’s it, I’m going to bed. The last thing I need is to get ganged up on by you two.” Tony huffed, throwing his cloak over his head and wrapping his self up in a tight bundle.

“A shame, and here I was going to share with you my reason for visiting today.” Loki sighed and stood from the bed. “Perhaps another time then. I’m sure the tale of how my brother got turned into a blind goat and hunted by a pack of village children by an irate Vanir witch will simply have to wait until later.” He started to walk away.

There was a tug at his green cloak. The tall god turned to see a single hand sticking out from Tony’s hiding place.

“…does it get political?” Tony asked quietly.

“Of course.” Loki smirked.

“Sit. Glitch another round of the good stuff…keep it sober, I don’t want to forget this one.” Tony demanded, never once peeking his head out from under his safety blanket.

Glitch squealed and ran to the bar, fixing the drink that Friday had taught him how to make earlier in the day. Loki retook his seat on the bed; much closer than he had been earlier.

Tony didn’t mind.

As the tale was told to him, Tony found himself lulled to sleep by the other man’s words. So enraptured, he didn’t even realize that he forgot to take any of his medicine.

Or maybe he just didn’t need them, because when he awoke the next morning, he felt as good as new.

Too good in fact.

Like he hadn’t even gotten into a fight yesterday; something he knew not to be true seeing as it was all over the news that morning.

“Huh. Well, I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.” He said stretching out his muscles and getting ready to take a shower for the new day. “This was probably Loki’s doing anyways.” The man shrugged.

Turns out it was.

Curiosity struck Tony later that day while he was down in the labs working on repairing Shotgun from their battle with the Doombot. Rolling back the cameras, he watched as Loki seemed to be doing nothing more but telling the hiding genius a story.

From Tony’s perspective at least.

Friday saw something different.

It was through her cameras that he watched Loki silently cast spell after spell over Tony’s body, never once breaking in his talking to hint that he was doing anything else. He watched the man go on until Tony was fast asleep and the sun had long since faded away. Only when the cover of night fell, did he see Loki lean down and whisper something in his ear before disappearing in a shower of magic.

No amount of editing let him hear what was said and Tony ended up calling M.I.T once more on Friday when she teased him mercilessly over the fact.


End file.
